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REVOLUTIONARY  TIMES. 


332  tf)e  £ame  Author* 

Abbotfs  Paragraph  Histories. 

THE  UNITED  STATES  from  the 
Discovery  of  the  Continent  to  the 
Present  Time. 

THE  AMERICAN  REVOLU- 
TION. 


Boston:  Roberts  Brothers.  1876. 


REVOLUTIONARY 

TIMES: 


SKETCHES  OF  OUR  COUNTRY, 
ITS  PEOPLE,  AND 
THEIR  WAYS, 

©nr  pjtmUiTfc  Fears  &flo. 


By  EDWARD  ABBOTT. 


BOSTON: 

ROBERTS  BROTHERS. 
1876. 


Copyright,  1876, 

By  Edward  Abbott. 


Cambridge : 

Press  of  John  Wilson  Son. 


REMOTE  STORAGE 


er.z 

A PREFATORY  NOTE. 


To  sketch  the  being  and  doing  of  a consider- 
able people,  occupying  an  extended  territory, 
at  a momentous  period,  and  all  within  the  com- 
pass of  two  hundred  pages,  is  an  undertaking 
of  which  too  much  will  not  be  expected  by 
the  considerate  reader.  Such  a sketch  must 
necessarily  confine  itself  to  the  surface  of 
things,  and  then  can  only  touch  upon  a few 
points  that  are  prominent.  For  further  par- 
ticulars, inquiry  must  be  made  of  other  works, 
whose  scope  is  broader  and  purpose  deeper, 
a partial  enumeration  of  which  will  be  found 
at  the  end  of  the  volume.  I have  here  but 
filled  a note-book  with  rough  and  scattered 
memoranda.  My  hope  is  that  it  may  render 
some  such  humble  service  as  that  of  the 

808258 


vi  A PREFATORY  NOTE. 

country  guide-board,  directing  those  whose 
eye  it  catches  into  pleasant  ways  beyond. 

I am  indebted  to  Hon.  Charles  Francis 
Adams  and  to  Mr.  Samuel  Adams  Drake 
for  their  kind  permission  respectively  to 
make  the  extracts  which  appear  from  the 
“ Familiar  Letters  of  John  Adams  and 
his  Wife,”  and  from  “ Old  Landmarks  of 
Boston.”  And  to  Mr.  Drake  my  grateful 
acknowledgments  are  further  due  for  his 
friendly  aid  in  the  critical  revision  of  the 
proofs. 


Cambridge,  Mass., 

April  25,  1876. 


E.  A. 


CONTENTS. 


I.  Political  Geography. 

A Map  of  the  United  States  in  1776.  — The  Capitals. — 
Principal  Towns.  — Population.  — Products.  — The 
Interior.  — The  Pacific  Coast.  — Government.  . 11 

II.  Cities  and  Towns. 

Tendency  to  Rural  Population.  — Five  “ Self-centred  ” 
Cities.  — Philadelphia,  and  Pennsylvania  Towns.  — 
New  York.  — Boston.  — New  England  Towns.  — Bal- 
timore and  Annapolis.  — Charleston,  S.C.  — Sa- 
vannah, etc 19 

III.  Public  Communications. 

Narrative  of  Elkanah  Watson.  — Roads.  — The  Stage- 
coach. — Coasters.  — Military  Transportation.  — The 
Mails. -—A  Letter  Carrier.  — The  Country  Post-of- 
fice  45 

IV.  Some  General  Features  of  Character 

and  Life. 

The  Military  Coloring.  — New  England  Traits.  — 
Sectional  Contrasts.  — Wealth.  — Morality.  — Social 
Troubles.  — A “ Statement.  ” — Punishments.  — 
“Strong  Dicker.” — Slavery. — Dress  and  the  Fash- 
ions. — Arms  and  Ammunition.  — Amusements.  — 


8 


CONTENTS. 


A Concert.  — The  Theatre.  — Josiah  Quincy’s  Opin- 
ion. — Vote  of  Congress.  — Anecdote  of  Lafayette.  — 
Dancing  and  Public  Balls.  — Lafayette  and  the  Balti- 
more Ladies.  — Patriotic  Sentiment.  — A Patriotic 
Barber 59 

V.  Domestic  Concerns. 

The  Self-contained  Home.  — An  Old  House.  — A 
Domestic  Interior.  — The  Kitchen.  — Children.  — 
Courtship  and  Marriage.  — A Romantic  Proposal. 
— A Quaint  Wedding  Notice.  — John  Hancock  and 
Dorothy  Q.  — Burials  and  Funerals.  — An  Old  Ward- 
robe. — Household  Furniture.  — Food.  — Prices.  — 
Regulation  of  Prices.  — Prices  in  Boston  and  Phil- 
adelphia. — Money  and  the  Currency.  . . . 80 

VI.  Education. 

Schools  and  Colleges.  — Dartmouth  in  its  Infancy  — 
Honorary  Degrees.  — Harvard  and  Washington’s 
“LL.D.” — Interruptions  by  the  War.  — Educated 
Men  in  the  Continental  Congress.  — Professional 
Schools.  — A “ Morning  School”  in  Boston.  . 102 

VII.  Literature. 

General  Traits  of  the  Period.  — Statesmen  in  Litera- 
ture, Washington,  Jefferson,  etc.  — Charles  Thompson. 
— The  Bartrams.  — Ballad  Literature.  — Du  Simi- 
tiere  and  Freneau.  — Timothy  Dwight  and  the  Yale 
“ Quartette.”  — John  Trumbull.  — A Philadelphia 
Magazine.  — Thomas  Paine.  — Other  Writers.  — Phil- 
lis Wheatley.  — Libraries.  — An  Old  Bookstore,  etc.  — 
The  Author  his  own  Publisher.  — Publication  of  11  The 
Conquest  of  Canaan.” IJ4 


CONTENTS . 


9 


VIII.  The  Press. 

General  Characteristics  of  the  Newspapers.  — No  “ Jour- 
nalism.”— Boston  Papers.  — Isaiah  Thomas  and  the 
Massachusetts  Spy.  — Other  Massachusetts  Papers.  — 
The  New  England  Chronicle  for  July  4,  1776.  — Other 
Papers  in  New  England.  — The  New  York  Press. — 
The  Press  in  New  Jersey,  Pennsylvania,  and  the 
Southern  States. — Scarcity  of  Paper. — The  Rag- 
man.— Subscription  Rates 132 

IX.  The  Churches  and  the  Clergy. 

A Religious  People.  — Rank  of  the  Denominations.  — 
— Eminent  Ministers.  — Influence  of  the  Clergy.  — 
Dr.  Emmons,  of  Franklin.  — Salaries.  — The  Old  Meet- 
ing-house. — Church  Music.  — The  Sabba’-Day  House. 
— Public  Religious  Days. — Washington  and  “Close 
Communion.”  — Old  Historic  Churches.  . . 145 

X.  Professions  and  Trades. 

The  Agricultural  Interest.  — General  Montgomery’s  Farm. 
— Farm  Life.  — Wages.  — Manufactures.  — The 
Country  Store  — Lawyers.  — The  11  Moot  ” Society  in 
New  York. — Famous  Painters. — Copley,  Peale,  and 
Others 161 

XI.  The  Men  and  Women  of  the  Revolu- 
tion. 

The  Military  Group.  — = Washington  and  his  Generals.  — 
The  Foreign  Officers.  — The  Civil  Group.  — Franklin 
and  the  Signers  of  the  Declaration.  — Mrs.  Mercy 
Warren.  — Mrs.  General  Knox.  — Mrs.  General  Greene. 
— Mrs.  Mary  Draper.  — The  Mother  of  Washington.  — 
The  Girls  of  Kinderhook.  — A Sisterly  Letter.  — A 
Georgia  Maiden 171 


IO 


CONTENTS. 


XII.  Odds  and  Ends. 

Old  Families.  — The  Draytons.  — The  Fairfaxes.  — 
The  Small-pox.  — Humors  of  its  Treatment.  — The 
Weather.  — Duelling.  — u The  Hard  Winter.”  — The 
“Dark  Day.”  — The  Prospect  as  viewed  from 
1776 184 


Appendix. 

List  of  Works  consulted  in  the  Preparation  of  this 
Book.  — List  of  Works,  including  many  of  Great 
Rarity,  relating  to  the  Subject 199 


Index 


205 


REVOLUTIONARY  TIMES. 


I. 

POLITICAL  GEOGRAPHY. 

At  the  time  of  the  American  Revolution, 
the  civilized  settlements  of  the  country  were 
confined  almost  exclusively  to  a narrow  strip 
of  territory  along  the  Atlantic  coast.  A map 
of  the  United  States,  as  they  were  at  the 
Declaration  of  Independence,  in  1776,  pre- 
sents very  striking  contrasts  to  a map  of 
the  same  at  the  present  day.  Such  a map, 
in  the  first  place,  undertakes  to  show  only 
about  one-third  of  the  breadth  of  the  conti- 
nent, the  Mississippi  River  being  the  extreme 
western  boundary  of  the  field  under  survey. 
The  great  lakes  are  in  their  places,  of  course ; 
and  the  great  rivers  and  other  distinguishing 
features  of  the  physical  geography  have  un- 
dergone no  marked  change.  But  the  political 
geography  is  strangely  different.  Now  the 


12 


REVOLUTIONARY  TIMES . 


country  lies  east  and  west,  stretching  from 
ocean  to  ocean,  embracing  the  great  lakes 
above  and  washed  by  the  great  Gulf  below  ; 
then  it  lay  north  and  south,  a narrow  margin, 
like  a thin  wave  rolled  up  from  the  great  sea. 
Civilization  had  but  gilded  the  edge  of  the 
continent,  and  brightened  only  here  and  there 
a spot  in  the  interior.  If  we  conceive  of  our 
imaginary  map  as  lightened  where  the  country 
is  settled  and  darkened  where  it  is  not,  then 
by  far  the  greater  part  of  it  is  dark.  There 
is  the  light  strip  along  the  coast  from  New 
Brunswick  to  the  borders  of  what  is  now 
Florida.  There  is  a dash  of  white  along  the 
St.  Lawrence  River,  and  another  about  the 
mouth  of  the  Mississippi ; and  there  are  light 
spots  in  the  interior,  where  are  now  Pittsburg, 
St.  Louis,  and  Knoxville.  There  are  settle- 
ments also  at  Niagara  and  Detroit,  and  one 
or  two  others  in  the  valley  of  the  Ohio.  But 
Maine  is  only  a province  of  Massachusetts, 
and  Vermont  has  not  yet  emerged  from  be- 
tween New  Hampshire  and  New  York.  From 
the  Alleghanies  to  the  Mississippi,  and  from 
the  Gulf  to  the  lakes,  the  wilderness  is  almost 


POLITICAL  GEOGRAPHY. 


13 


wholly  unbroken.  The  Miamis,  the  Shawnees, 
the  Delawares,  the  Cherokees,  the  Creeks,  the 
Choctaws,  and  others  of  the  Indian  tribes,  are 
in  possession. 

The  thirteen  original  Colonies,  which  in  1776 
resolved  themselves  into  the  United  States  of 
America,  were  as  follows  : — 


Colonies.  Capitals. 

New  Hampshire  . . . Exeter. 

Massachusetts  ....  Boston. 

Rhode  Island  ....  Providence  and  Newport. 

Connecticut Hartford  and  New  Haven. 

New  York New  York. 

New  Jersey Amboy. 

Pennsylvania Philadelphia. 

Delaware Newcastle. 

Maryland Annapolis. 

Virginia Williamsburg. 

North  Carolina  ....  Newbern. 

South  Carolina  ....  Charleston. 

Georgia  . . . . . . Savannah. 


The  names  of  these  capitals  are  of  course 
the  prominent  names  upon  the  maps  of  the 
time.  Taking  heavy  type  as  a token  of  rank, 
the  places  of  first  importance  are  Philadel- 
phia, New  York,  and  Boston  ; then  come 


14 


REVOLUTIONARY  TIMES. 


Portsmouth,  in  New  Hampshire;  Providence, 
in  Rhode  Island  ; Hartford,  in  Connecticut ; 
Baltimore  and  Annapolis,  in  Maryland;  New- 
bern,  in  North  Carolina  ; Charleston  (or 
Charles/<?2t7z,  as  it  was  commonly  called),  in 
South  Carolina  ; and  Savannah,  in  Georgia : 
while  in  a third  rank  seem  to  stand  Falmouth 
(now  Portland),  in  Maine  ; Cambridge  and 
Plymouth,  in  Massachusetts  ; Lancaster  and 
Reading,  in  Pennsylvania  ; Newcastle,  in 
Delaware ; Norfolk,  in  Virginia  ; and  Au- 
gusta, in  Georgia.  Judging  from  a hasty 
glance,  several  score  of  towns  are  named  in 
Massachusetts,  less  than  twenty  in  New  Jer- 
sey, about  thirty  in  Virginia,  and  towards 
forty  in  South  Carolina  ; these,  however,  be- 
ing by  no  means  all. 

Outside  of  these  the  larger  towns,  the  col- 
onists were  still  struggling  more  or  less  with 
the  wilderness,  except  where  a kindly  soil  had 
surrendered  itself  more  quickly  to  discipline 
and  culture.  Little  by  little  the  settlers  were 
pushing  out  from  the  centres  into  the  regions 
beyond.  This  was  noticeably  the  case  in 
Maine  and  in  New  Hampshire.  The  Isles 


POLITICAL  GEOGRAPHY. 


15 


of  Shoals  already  had  a hardy  population, 
which,  however,  was  temporarily  ejected  dur- 
ing the  Revolution  for  unpatriotic  conduct. 
Vermont,  as  we  have  before  intimated,  was 
not ; its  territory  being  an  object  of  conten- 
tion between  New  York  and  New  Hamp- 
shire. In  Massachusetts,  the  most  populous 
of  the  Colonies,  300,000  people  had  settled 
into  a thrifty,  prosperous,  and  placid  life. 
Rhode  Island  had  a population  of  about 
60,000,  devoted  to  the  raising  of  general  prod- 
uce, with  some  attempts  at,  tobacco  culture. 
New  York,  with  a population  of  164,000,  had 
pushed  out  into  the  Mohawk  Valley  ; and  one 
of  the  most  inviting  of  the  Pennsylvania 
settlements  was  that  in  'the  valley  of  Wyo- 
ming. New  Jersey  made  a less  favorable  im- 
pression upon  some  beholders.  The  farms 
of  Maryland  again  were  proverbially  fine, 
though  the  province  was  not  thickly  settled. 
The  peach  culture  had  been  begun  in  Virginia. 
Daniel  Boone  was  just  setting  out  for  Ken- 
tucky at  the  head  of  an  enterprising  company 
of  pioneers.  The  Carolinas,  naturally  marked 
by  differences  of  soil  and  climate,  were  already 


i6 


REVOLUTIONARY  TIMES . 


showing  some  contrasts  in  temper  and  habit. 
North  Carolina  enjoyed  the  infusion  of  a 
considerable  Presbyterian  element  ; while  in 
South  Carolina,  years  before,  a colony  from 
Massachusetts  had  found  a home,  which,  in  a 
filial  spirit,  they  called  Dorchester.  Florida 
was  in  the  hands  of  the  English,  but  in  a very 
unsettled  condition ; and  the  Spanish  held 
Louisiana. 

Ten  years  before  this  time,  it  had  been 
written  by  an  intelligent  observer  : * “ Every 
Colony  in  America  seems  to  have,  as  it  were, 
a staple  commodity  peculiar  to  itself : as 
Canada,  the  fur ; Massachusetts  Bay,  fish ; 
Connecticut,  lumber  ; New  York  and  Penn- 
sylvania, wheat  ; Virginia  and  Maryland, 
tobacco ; North  Carolina,  pitch  and  tar ; 
South  Carolina,  rice  and  indigo  ; Georgia, 
rice  and  silk.” 

The  colonization  of  the  West  was  yet  a 
dream  of  the  Anglo-Americans,  the  designs 
of  France  and  Spain  standing  in  the  way  of 
its  fulfilment.  The  present  great  state  of 
Ohio  had  not  a white  settlement.  St.  Louis 


* John  Bartram. 


POLITICAL  GEOGRAPHY, \ 


17 


was  a Spanish  town.  What  is  now  Indiana 
had  but  a single  settlement,  that  at  Vin- 
cennes. Detroit  was  a far-distant  outpost, 
sheltering  a few  hundred  pioneers.  This 
whole  region  was  an  unbroken  waste,  saving 
at  these  few  scattered  points,  which  were  in 
large  measure  military  and  trading  stations. 
Over  all  the  Indian  had  free  range.  Advent- 
urers were  exploring  the  lakes  and  the  rivers, 
and  currents  of  emigration  were  only  slowly 
setting  in.  And  on  the  9th  of  October,  1776, 
three  months  after  the  Declaration  of  Inde- 
pendence, two  Franciscan  monks,  indefatiga- 
ble missionaries  of  the  Roman  Church,  took 
possession  of  the  Pacific  coast  by  the  found- 
ing of  their  Mission  of  San  Francisco,  the 
germ  of  the  modern  city  of  that  name. 

In  the  period  we  are  surveying  — of  shift- 
ing constitutions  and  changing  governments 
— it  is  difficult  to  take  any  instantaneous  and 
exact  picture  of  the  political  structure.  The 
process  by  which  the  thirteen  Colonies  trans- 
formed themselves  into  the  thirteen  States 
covered  a period  of  several  years,  and  was 
nearly  coincident  with  the  military  operations 


i8 


REVOLUTIONARY  TIMES . 


of  the  Revolution.  Looking  at  the  final  result, 
and  dwelling  only  on  general  principles,  it  may 
be  said  that  that  change  consisted  simply  in 
substituting  for  the  authority  of  the  king  the 
sovereignty  of  the  people.  Each  State  had 
its  governor  and  its  legislature,  the  powers 
of  government  being  chiefly  lodged  with  the 
latter.  The  prerogatives  of  the  governors 
were  greatly  restricted.  The  right  of  suf- 
frage was  general,  but  was  abridged  in  a few 
States  by  a property  qualification,  and  in  a 
few  by  the  fact  of  color.  Except  in  one  or 
two  of  the  New  England  States,  little  official 
emphasis  was  placed  upon  education  ; but, 
throughout  all,  religious  liberty  was  guarded 
with  an  ever  increasing  care.  To  some  ex- 
tent religious  tests  were  for  a while  required 
for  office  ; but  the  Church  was  practically  dis- 
severed from  the  State,  and  substantial  relig- 
ious equality  was  enjoyed  by  all.  Truth  had 
been  given  a fair  field  in  which  to  establish 
her  claims,  and  the  individual  conscience  was 
to  be  emancipated  from  all  human  control. 


CITIES  AND  TOWNS. 


19 


II. 

CITIES  AND  TOWNS. 

If  it  be  true,  as  there  is  some  ground  for 
saying,  that  the  city  presents  the  highest  type 
of  civilization,  then  the  growth  of  the  country 
during  the  century  has  been  toward  such  a 
civilization  at  a rapid  rate  and  in  a marked 
degree.  The  great  cities  of  the  United  States 
now  mass  within  themselves  something  like 
one-fifth  of  the  entire  population.  A hundred 
years  ago  the  proportion  was  very  different ; 
the  cities  and  large  towns  being  then  compar- 
atively few  and  relatively  small,  and  the  popu- 
lation far  more  evenly  distributed  between 
town  and  country. 

A recent  writer  has  given  new  currency  to 
the  remark  of  an  experienced  traveller  and 
shrewd  observer,  to  the  effect  that  now  ‘‘there 
are  five  cities  in  the  United  States  worth  liv- 
ing in, — Boston,  New  York, Washington,  New 
Orleans,  and  San  Francisco.  Each,”  he  adds, 


20 


REVOLUTIONARY  TIMES . 


“ is  self-centred,  and  in  each  you  find  a soci- 
ety with  a marked  individual  flavor.,,  This 
remark,  as  it  applies  to  the  present  order  of 
leading  American  cities,  seems  inexact  and 
unjust,  in  so  far  as  it  excludes  Philadelphia 
and  Baltimore.  In  making  a similar  remark  a 
hundred  years  ago,  both  of  those  towns  would 
certainly  have  been  entitled  to  mention,  tak- 
ing the  places  of  Washington  and  San  Fran- 
cisco ; while  Charleston  would  have  been 
named  in  place  of  New  Orleans. 

Measured  by  population,  Philadelphia  was 
chiefest  of  the  five  “ individually  flavored  ” 
and  “ self-centred  ” towns  of  the  Revolution- 
ary period ; while  its  central  location  endowed 
it  with  additional  importance,  as  was  instanced 
in  its  selection  for  the  sessions  of  the  Conti- 
nental Congress. 

The  population  of  Philadelphia  at  the  time 
of  its  occupation  by  the  British  in  1777-78 
was  determined  by  a census  taken  by  Corn- 
wallis to  be  something  over  twenty-one 
thousand ; but  at  this  time,  it  must  be  re- 
membered, there  had  been  a considerable  exo- 


CITIES  AND  TOWNS. 


21 


dus  of  citizens,  because  of  the  presence  of  the 
enemy.  Its  normal  population  was  much 
larger.  It  was  the  same  city  of  regular 
streets  which  it  is  to-day.  Around  it  lay  the 
most  fertile  and  highly  cultivated  regions  of 
the  State.  When  possessed  of  its  full  strength, 
it  could  send  eight  thousand  people  to  a mass 
meeting.  It  was  an  abode  of  wealth  ; and  its 
citizens  were  distinguished  for  their  intelli- 
gence and  for  social  qualities  of  the  highest 
order.  Penn  and  the  Quakers  had  infused 
the  community  with  peculiar  elements.  The 
commercial  spirit  was  active  and  enterprising, 
and  the  rewards  of  industry  were  generously 
handled.  The  aristocratic  reserve  of  its  society 
was  softened  by  a philanthropic  and  hospitable 
spirit,  and  a distinguished  courtesy  ; though 
class  lines  were  drawn  with  considerable  dis- 
tinctness. The  tranquil  life  enjoyed  before 
the  Revolution  was  of  course  seriously  dis- 
turbed during  the  years  of  conflict  ; and  the 
occupation  of  the  city  by  the  British  served 
to  introduce  an  element  of  riotous  living,  for 
which  there  had  been  no  place  before. 

Carpenters  Hall,  in  which  the  first  Con- 


22 


REVOLUTIONARY  TIMES . 


tinental  Congress  assembled,  was  a consider- 
able structure,  standing  a little  off  of  Chestnut 
Street,  between  Third  and  Fourth.  It  was  of 
two  stories,  brick,  with  a cupola,  and  had  been 
erected  for  the  accommodation  of  the  Society 
of  House  Carpenters.  The  hall  in  which  the 
Congress  held  its  sessions  occupied  the  entire 
lower  floor,  being  an  apartment  about  forty- 
five  feet  square,  with  a recess  of  a quarter  of 
that  area  in  the  rear.  Here,  on  Monday,  the 
5th  of  September,  1774,  assembled  the  fifty- 
five  delegates  of  twelve  out  of  the  thirteen 
Colonies,  Georgia  alone  not  being  repre- 
sented. “ There  is  in  this  Congress,”  wrote 
John  Adams,  “a  collection  of  the  greatest 
men  upon  this  Continent  in  point  of  abilities, 
virtues,  and  fortunes.”  Among  them  were 
George  Washington,  Patrick  Henry,  Chris- 
topher Gadsden,  Edward  and  John  Rutledge, 
Samuel  and  John  Adams,  and  John  Jay. 
“ Every  man,”  again  wrote  John  Adams,  “is 
a great  man,  an  orator,  a critic,  a statesman ; 
and  therefore  every  man  upon  every  question 
must  show  his  oratory,  his  criticism,  his  polit- 
ical abilities.  The  consequence  is  that  busi- 


CITIES  AND  TOWNS.  ' 


23 


ness  is  spun  out  to  an  immeasurable  length.” 
The  “immeasurable  length”  was  eight  weeks, 
during  thirty-one  days  only  of  which  the  Con- 
gress was  in  actual  session.  The  sessions  of 
the  second  Continental  Congress — the  body 
by  which  the  immortal  Declaration  of  Inde- 
pendence was  made  — were  held  in  the  old 
State  House,  now  known  as  Independence 
Hall.  At  that  time,  this  edifice,  by  the  addi- 
tion of  two  wings  in  1739-40  to  the  original 
structure,  was  one  of  the  largest  and  finest  de- 
voted to  civil  purposes  in  the  country.  After- 
ward (in  1783)  the  grounds  about  it  were 
embellished  with  trees  and  shrubbery,  by  John 
Vaughan,  an  English  gentleman  of  note,  who 
had  become  a resident  of  the  city.  The  great 
bell  which  was  rung  upon  the  Declaration 
was  one  that  had  been  brought  from  England 
in  1752,  and,  having  been  almost  immediately 
cracked,  recast  in  1753.  It  was  in  the  shadow 
of  this  Hall  that,  on  the  8th  of  July,  the  Dec- 
laration was  first  publicly  read  to  a vast  as- 
semblage of  people,  gathered  from  the  city 
and  the  surrounding  regions. 

There  were  other  buildings  of  interest  in 


24 


REVOLUTIONARY  TIMES . 


Philadelphia,  and  institutions  of  note  and 
influence.  There  was  the  a Veteran  House,” 
where  tools,  materials,  and  other  requisites 
were  furnished  to  persons  out  of  employ- 
ment ; who  were  also  therein  provided  with 
lodging,  food,  and  clothing  at  reasonable 
rates.  There  was  an  “ American  Manufac- 
tory,” on  the  corner  of  Market  and  Ninth 
Streets,  to  which  all  spinners  were  invited 
to  come,  to  receive  supplies  of  cotton,  wool, 
flax,  etc.  There  was  a market,  of  which  the 
boast  was  made  that  it  was  the  finest  upon 
the  Continent.  There  were  clubs,  among 
them  St.  George’s,  formed  of  the  natives  of 
Old  England  residing  in  the  city.  And  there 
was  the  Philosophical  Society,  already  influ- 
ential in  the  promotion  of  scientific  study. 
One  of  the  curious  places  of  the  city  was 
a wax-work  collection  belonging  to  a Mrs. 
Wells,  a sister  of  a niece  of  John  Wesley, 
where  were  startling  figures  of  the  Prodigal 
Son,  and  of  various  real  notabilities  of  more 
recent  times  ; the  whole  constituting  an  at- 
traction which  even  a sedate  congressman 
might  not  successfully  resist.  Beside  the 


CITIES  AND  TOWNS . 


25 


State  House  and  the  Market,  there  was  a small 
court-house,  a work-house,  and  an  alms-house  ; 
the  primitive  buildings  of  the  college  and 
academy,  since  become  the  University  of 
Pennsylvania ; two  Quaker  meeting-houses, 
and  eight  other  churches.  Germantown, 
Whitemarsh,  and  Valley  Forge  were  all  near 
enough  to  the  city  to  be  intimately  related 
to  its  history  ; and  on  the  mills  at  Frankford, 
a few  miles  away,  the  people  were  chiefly  de- 
pendent for  their  flour. 

A very  interesting  inland  town  of  Penn- 
sylvania was  Bethlehem.  It  enjoyed  an 
agreeable  situation,  and  a valuable  water 
power  which  was  utilized  to  the  support  of 
a large  group  of  important  mills,  and  was 
already  in  possession  of  a very  excellent 
water  system,  which  supplied  the  town  from 
a sufficient  “ head.”  The  following  extract 
from  one  of  Mr.  Adams’s  letters  gives  a 
pleasant  glimpse  of  the  interior  life  of  the 
town  : * — 

There  are  three  public  institutions  here  of  a very 
remarkable  nature  ; one,  a society  of  the  young  men ; 


* Familiar  Letters,  p.  241. 


26 


REVOLUTIONARY  TIMES. 


another,  of  the  young  women;  and  a third,  of  the 
widows.  There  is  a large  building,  divided  into  many 
apartments,  where  the  young  men  reside  by  themselves, 
and  carry  on  their  several  trades.  They  pay  a rent 
to  the  society  for  their  rooms,  and  they  pay  for  their 
board  ; and  what  they  earn  is  their  own.  There  is 
another  large  building  appropriated  in  the  same  man- 
ner to  the  young  women.  There  is  a governess,  a 
little  like  the  lady  abbess  in  some  other  institutions, 
who  has  the  superintendence  of  the  whole ; and  they 
have  elders.  Each  apartment  has  a number  of  young 
women  who  are  vastly  industrious,  some  spinning, 
some  weaving,  others  employed  in  all  the  most  curious 
works  in  linen,  wool,  cotton,  silver  and  gold,  silk  and 
velvet.  This  institution  displeased  me  much.  Their 
dress  was  uniform  and  clean,  but  very  inelegant. 
Their  rooms  were  kept  extremely  warm  with  Dutch 
stoves  ; and  the  heat,  the  want  of  fresh  air  and  exer- 
cise, relaxed  the  poor  girls  in  such  a manner  as  must, 
I think,  destroy  their  health.  Their  countenances 
were  languid  and  pale. 

Lancaster,  sixty  miles  west  of  Philadel- 
phia, was  reputed,  in  1777,  the  largest  inland 
town  in  America.  It  then  contained  about  a 
thousand  houses  and  about  six  thousand  peo- 
ple. Then  as  now  it  was  the  centre  of  a very 
delightful  agricultural  region,  and  was  the 


CITIES  AND  TOWNS. 


2 7 


seat  of  some  important  manufactures.  York- 
town,  which  received  some  prominence  as  the 
temporary  seat  of  Congress,  was  a place  of 
inconsiderable  size,  but  had  four  churches. 
Newark,  N .J.,  being  on  the  line  of  travel  be- 
tween New  York  and  Philadelphia,  saw  and 
heard  much  of  the  affairs  of  the  time,  but 
had  a population  of  only  about  a thousand. 
Princeton  already  had  distinction  by  reason 
of  its  excellent  college.  Pittsburg,  now  but 
a day’s  journey  to  the  West,  was  then  on 
the  extreme  border,  almost  the  last  outpost 
before  plunging  into  the  wilderness  of  the 
interior.  Easton,  Penn.,  was  chiefly  inhabited 
by  the  Dutch,  and  contained  a fine  stone 
church,  built  and  occupied  jointly  by  Luther- 
ans and  Calvinists.  The  buildings  generally 
were  of  stone.  Albany  was  not  yet  the  State 
capital,  but  was  a town  of  much  political  and 
commercial  importance. 

New  York  City  in  the  Revolution  had  a 
population  rising  a little  above  20,000.  The 
town  occupied  but  a very  small  part  of  its 
present  area.  In  fact,  it  extended  over  but 


28 


RE  VOL  UTIONA  R Y TIMES . 


little  more  than  the  mere  point  of  Manhattan 
Island.  The  population  was  confined  almost 
wholly  to  the  district  lying  below  the  present 
Reade  and  Catharine  Streets.  What  is  now 
the  City  Hall  Park  was  then  at  the  extreme 
north  end.  On  the  west  side  there  were  no 
regular  streets  laid  out  above  Warren  Street ; 
on  the  east  side,  Bowery  Lane  carried  the  city 
up  a little  beyond  that  line  into  what  was 
called  “ the  Out  Ward,”  beyond  which  farms 
stretched  away  in  an  unbroken  expanse.  The 
six  other  wards  were  known  by  the  names  of 
West,  South,  Dock,  East,  North,  and  Mont-  # 
gomerie.  To  one  approaching  the  city  from 
the  harbor,  its  south-western  front  presented 
almost  an  appearance  of  “heights”  like  those 
of  Brooklyn,  so  bold  and  steep  was  the  fall- 
away  of  the  land  at  the  water  s edge ; but  on 
the  eastern  side  the  slope  was  more  gradual. 
Then,  as  now,  Broadway  followed  the  water- 
shed of  the  island,  but  came  to  an  end  about 
at  Chambers  Street ; while  toward  the  easterly 
side  the  Bowery  Lane  led  into  the  “ Road  to 
Albany  and  Boston.”  Among  the  prominent 
streets  were  Broad,  Smith,  Gold,  Queen’s, 


CITIES  AND  TOWNS. 


29 


Church,  Water,  and  William.  A ferry  at  the 
foot  of  Maiden  Lane  communicated  with  the 
Long  Island  shore.  The  wharves  were  mostly 
confined  to  the  East  River  front,  along  which 
ships  could  lie  for  a distance  of  a mile  or 
more.  Business  found  all  the  room  it  needed 
in  the  precincts  near  the  water.  The  upper 
part  of  Wall  Street  was  a favorite  and  fash- 
ionable place  of  residence,  Broadway  being 
wholly  free  from  trade,  and  its  lower  end, 
in  the  vicinity  of  the  Bowling  Green,  the 
choicer. 

The  public  buildings  of  the  city  included  the 
City  Hall,  at  the  head  of  Broad  Street,  where 
the  Treasury  Building  now  stands  ; and  the 
Royal  Exchange,  at  the  foot  of  Broad  Street 
where  it  joined  with  Dock  ; the  latter,  a curi- 
ous building,  raised  by  arches  upon  pillars,  so 
as  to  leave  its  ground  floor  open  on  all  sides. 

The  churches  of  old  New  York  hardly 
need  any  description,  much  less  enumera- 
tion. There  was  Trinity,  of  course,  but  then 
a very  unpretending  structure;  the  Old  Brick 
Church,  on  Chatham  Street  or  Park  Row, 
where  the  “ Times”  Building  now  stands,  and 


30 


REVOLUTIONARY  TIMES . 


at  that  time  an  “ up-town  church  ; ” the  Mid- 
dle Dutch  Church,  on  Nassau  Street,  whose 
quaint  exterior  still  preserves  its  identity, 
notwithstanding  the  many  changes  it  under- 
went while  in  use  as  a post-office  ; the  North 
Dutch  Church,  on  the  corner  of  Fulton  and 
William  Streets  ; and  the  John  Street  Metho- 
dist Church  ; with  others  that  we  need  not 
stop  to  mention. 

New  York  had  many  and  notable  taverns 
and  coffee-houses  ; the  chief  of  the  former 
being  the  City  Tavern,  which  stood  almost  at 
the  very  foot  of  Broadway,  and  bore  at  one  time 
the  common  and  popular  name  of  “ The  Bunch 
of  Grapes.”  Another  of  about  equal  promi- 
nence was  the  “ Queen  Charlotte,”  on  a corner 
of  Broad  and  Dock  Streets,  where  was  spread 
that  farewell  dinner  at  which  Washington 
took  leave  of  his  officers  at  the  close  of  the 
war.  The  coffee-houses  were  places  of  great 
resort,  until  the  war  disarranged  the  social 
relations  and  serene  condition  of  the  people. 
Here  the  newspapers  were  to  be  seen  ; and 
here  gentlemen  gathered  for  intercourse  and 
discussion,  after  the  pleasant  English  plan. 


CITIES  AND  TOWNS . 


31 


The  Tontine  Coffee-House,  on  the  corner  of 
Wall  and  Water  Streets,  which  however  be- 
longed to  a somewhat  later  day,  was  reputed 
the  equal  of  any  in  London.  Here  one  could 
live  in  handsome  style  for  <£70  or  £80  a year, 
“ wine  and  porter  excepted.” 

There  were  many  fine  private  residences 
in  New  York,  the  most  famous  of  which,  the 
Walton  House,  stood  in  what  is  now  Frank- 
lin Square,  then  almost  out  of  town.  This 
was  a very  elaborate  and  costly  edifice,  fifty 
feet  in  front  and  three  stories  high,  nearly  all 
the  materials  of  which  were  imported  from 
England.  Through  the  other  parts  of  the 
island  were  scattered  many  fine  estates,  among 
them  those  of  the  De  Lanceys,  the  Wattses, 
the  Bayards,  the  Apthorps,  the  Stuyvesants, 
the  Morrises,  and  the  Livingstons. 

The  city  had  its  markets,  a rude  attempt 
at  water-works,  the  luxury  of  ice  in  sum- 
mer, societies  of  benevolence  and  culture, 
clubs,  and  many  other  appurtenances  of  a 
life  of  elegance  and.  ease.  Its  commerce  was 
considerable,  as  many  as  six  hundred  sail  of 
vessels  entering  the  harbor  during  one  of 


32 


REVOLUTIONARY  TIMES . 


the  years  immediately  preceding  the  out- 
break of  the  war.  There  was  no  bank,  but 
there  were  insurance  companies  and  com- 
mercial societies ; and  the  merchants  by 
their  foresight  and  enterprise  gave  promise 
of  the  vast  development  which  the  metropolis 
has  attained  in  the  century  now  closed. 

A very  conspicuous  object  of  the  city  in 
colonial  times  was  the  equestrian  statue  of 
George  the  Third,  which  stood  in  the  centre 
of  the  Bowling  Green.  It  was  overthrown 
by  the  soldiers  in  a fit  of  patriotism  following 
the  Declaration  of  Independence  ; and,  accord- 
ing to  tradition,  the  lead  of  which  it  was  com- 
posed was  removed,  to  be  run  into  bullets  for 
the  use  of  the  American  army.  A great 
event  in  New  York,  and  one  which  is  indis- 
solubly linked  with  the  Revolutionary  period, 
was  the  conflagration  which  broke  out  on 
the  2 1 st  of  September,  1776,  and  which  laid  a 
large  portion  of  the  city  in  ruins.  It  began 
near  the  Battery,  in  the  night ; and,  driven 
by  a fresh  wind,  the  flames  spread  with  great 
rapidity,  and  swept  away  almost  every  thing 
between  Broad  Street  and  the  North  River, 


CITIES  AND  TOWNS . 


33 


as  high  up  as  the  City  Hall,  and  even  further  ; 
sparing  not  even  Trinity  Church,  or  a number 
of  other  important  buildings.  The  fire  was 
charged  upon  the  Americans  by  the  British 
as  a piece  of  incendiarism. 

Only  as  respects  the  size  of  its  population 
can  the  Boston  of  Revolutionary  times  be 
made  to  take  rank  below  New  York  and 
Philadelphia.  If  not  the  body,  it  was  the 
brain,  and  at  the  same  time  the  heart,  of  the 
young  nation  ; and  in  moral  quality  and  power 
yielded  place  to  none  of  its  rivals.  The  area 
of  the  town  comprised  about  seven  hundred 
acres,  shaped  almost  into  an  island,  the  neck 
which  attached  the  territory  to  the  mainland 
being  so  narrow  and  so  low  that  the  high 
tides  often  broke  across  it.  Viewed  in  the 
midst  of  its  surroundings,  it  presented  a very 
different  aspect  from  that  of  to-day.  East 
Boston  was  Noddle’s  Island.  South  Boston 
was  Dorchester  Heights.  Dorchester,  Rox- 
bury,  Brookline,  and  Cambridge  were  remote 
villages.  The  “ Back  Bay  ” was  a bay  in- 
deed. Charlestown  was  a peninsula  of  pas- 


34 


REVOLUTIONARY  TIMES. 


tures,  with  but  a touch  of  settlement  on  that 
extremity  which  lay  directly  opposite  Boston. 
No  bridges  whatsoever  connected  the  town 
with  any  of  its  environs.  The  foot  of  Boy^- 
ston  Street,  where  the  Providence  Railroad 
Depot  now  stands,  was  washed  by  the  tides, 
and  the  water  also  skirted  the  whole  western 
border  of  the  Common.  There  were  between 
fifteen  hundred  and  two  thousand  houses, 
most  of  the  buildings  of  the  town  being 
clustered  on  the  harbor  front.  The  crooked 
streets  were  illy  paved.  There  were  no  side- 
walks in  the  modern  sense,  and  no  public 
street  lights.  The  population  was  not  far 
from  17,000. 

Of  the  three  historic  hills  of  Old  Boston, — 
Copp’s  Hill,  Fort  Hill,  and  Beacon  Hill, — 
not  one  retains  to-day  the  appearance  of  a 
hundred  years  ago.  Fort  Hill  has  been  razed 
within  the  memory  of  some  of  the  younger 
inhabitants.  Beacon  Hill  had  been  consider- 
ably dug  away  before  it  received  its  present 
crown  of  buildings,  private  and  public  ; and 
Copp’s  Hill,  when  it  was  utilized  by  the  Brit- 
ish for  the  bombardment  of  the  American 


CITIES  AND  TOWNS. 


35 


works  at  Charlestown,  on  the  occasion  of  the 
Battle  of  Bunker’s  Hill,  had  an  abrupt  and 
considerable  cliff  facing  the  water’s  edge. 

One  of  the  choice  precincts  of  Old  Boston, 
Bowdoin  Square,  retains  a measure  of  its 
dignity  to  this  very  day ; but  another,  even 
choicer,  Church  Green,  at  the  junction  of 
Summer  and  Bedford  Streets,  has  given  place 
to  a far  different  scene.  The  Great  Elm  on 
the  Common,  now  just  fallen  of  old  age,  had 
then  a companion  in  the  Liberty  Tree,  a noble 
elm  which  stood  at  the  junction  of  Washing- 
ton, Essex,  and  Boylston  Streets.  This  was 
the  patriots’  rendezvous,  and  was  cut  down  out 
of  sheer  spite  by  the  Tories,  while  the  British 
were  in  possession  of  the  city  in  the  autumn 
of  1775. 

The  public  buildings  of  the  town  included, 
first  and  foremost,  Faneuil  Hall,  at  that  time 
a two-storied  structure  ; the  old  State  House, 
at  the  head  of  King  Street,  now  State  Street, 
with  sun-dial  in  place  of  clock,  and  tower  con- 
siderably higher  than  it  is  now ; and  the 
royal  Custom  House,  on  the  south-east  corner 
of  Exchange  and  King  Streets.  A notable 


36 


REVOLUTIONARY  TIMES. 


building  was  the  Manufactory  House,  which 
stood  about  where  Hamilton  Place  now  opens 
out  of  Tremont  Street.  This  was  a two-story 
building  of  brick,  one  hundred  and  forty  feet 
long,  with  wings,  and  as  late  as  1784  com- 
manded an  unobstructed  view  to  the  south- 
ward. It  was  at  first  the  home  of  various 
trades  and  manufactures  encouraged  by  the 
State,  but  afterwards  housed  the  Massachu- 
setts Bank,  and  finally  was  turned  into  a 
family  abode.  The  Music  Hall  of  those  times 
was  Concert  Hall,  on  the  southerly  corner  of 
Court  and  Hanover  Streets.  Here  the  aris- 
tocracy of  the  town  attended  many  of  their 
concerts  and  their  balls. 

Of  the  churches  of  Boston,  none  occupied 
a more  prominent  place  than  the  Old  South, 
whose  history  and  associations  are  so  familiar 
that  they  need  not  be  recounted  here.  Then 
there  was  the  Brattle  Street  Church,  which, 
like  the  Old  South,  was  made  to  harbor  Brit- 
ish troops ; the  Old  North  Church  at  the 
North  End,  which  General  Howe  demolished 
and  turned  into  fuel ; the  New  North  Church 
on  Hanover  Street ; the  West  Church  on 


CITIES  AND  TOWNS. 


37 


Cambridge  Street,  which  also  served  as  bar- 
racks to  the  British  ; the  First  Church,  or 
Old  Brick,  where  Joy’s  Building  now  stands  ; 
King’s  Chapel ; Trinity  Church,  then  of  wood, 
predecessor  to  the  granite  structure  which  the 
great  fire  of  1872  laid  low ; Christ  Church,  at 
the  North  End,  in  its  day  one  of  the  orna- 
ments of  the  town,  and  from  whose  steeple 
was  hung  the  signal  lantern  “ on  the  eighteenth 
of  April,  ’seventy-five  ; ” and  the  Church  on 
Federal  Street,  the  location  after  made  cele- 
brated by  the  ministry  of  Dr.  Channing. 

At  the  time  of  which  we  write,  there  was 
no  block  of  buildings  in  Boston.  There  was 
little  architectural  pretension  of  any  kind. 
The  common  material  was  wood,  and  brick 
buildings  were  few  and  far  between.  There 
were,  however,  some  notable  houses.  There 
was  the  Province  House,  a stately  edifice,  in 
open  grounds  nearly  opposite  the  head  of 
Milk  Street.  This  was  built  of  brick,  in  three 
stories,  with  considerable  attempts  at  decora- 
tion both  within  and  without.  The  Faneuil 
Mansion,  which  stood  about  opposite  to  the 
present  Museum,  on  the  hill-side  back  from 


38 


REVOLUTIONARY  TIMES . 


the  street,  was  another  imposing  house.  Per- 
haps as  grand  and  fine  as  any,  and  a good 
specimen  of  a town  mansion  in  colonial  times, 
was  the  Hancock  House,  which  only  within  a 
few  years  has  yielded  its  place  to  more  mod- 
ern abodes.  The  Hancock  grounds  comprised 
a considerable  area  upon  the  summit  of  Beacon 
Hill.  The  site  of  the  State  House  was  the 
pasture,  and  gardens  and  orchards  extended 
all  around.  The  Hancock  House  is  well 
worth  pausing  to  look  at  as  a specimen  colo- 
nial mansion.  Let  us  take  Mr.  Drake’s  de- 
scription of  it : * — 

The  building  was  of  stone,  built  in  the  substantial 
manner  favored  by  the  wealthier  Bostonians.  The 
walls  were  massive.  A balcony  projected  over  the 
entrance-door,  upon  which  opened  a large  window  of 
the  second  story.  The  corners  and  window-openings 
were  ornamented  with  Braintree  stone,  and  the  tiled 
roof  was  surmounted  by  a balustrade.  Dormer  win- 
dows jutted  out  from  the  roof,  from  which  might 
be  obtained  a view  as  beautiful  as  extensive.  A low 
stone  wall  protected  the  grounds  from  the  street,  on 
which  was  placed  a light  wooden  fence,  with  gate-posts 
of  the  same  material.  A paved  walk  and  a dozen 


* Old  Landmarks  of  Boston,  p.  339. 


CITIES  AND  TOWNS . 


39 


stone  steps  conducted  to  the-  mansion,  situated  on 
rising  ground  at  a little  distance  back  from  the  street. 
Before  the  door  was  a wide  stone  slab,  worn  by  the 
feet  of  the  distinguished  inhabitant  and  his  illustrious 
guests.  A wooden  hall,  designed  for  festive  occa- 
sions, sixty  feet  in  length,  was  joined  to  the  northern 
wing:  it  was  afterwards  removed  to  Allen  Street. 

The  description  of  the  interior  is  thus 
continued  in  Mr.  Drake’s  pages  by  Miss 
Gardner,  who  was  long  an  inmate  of  the 
house : * — 

As  you  entered  the  governor’s  mansion,  to  the  right 
was  the  drawing  or  reception  room,  with  furniture  of 
bird’s-eye  maple  covered  with  rich  damask.  Out  of 
this  opened  the  dining  hall  referred  to,  in  which  Han- 
cock gave  the  famous  breakfast  to  Admiral  d’Estaing 
and  his  officers.  Opposite  this  was  a smaller  apart- 
ment, the  usual  dining-hall  of  the  family  ; next  adjoin- 
ing were  the  china-room  and  offices,  with  coach-house 
and  barn  behind. 

At  the  left  of  the  entrance  was  a second  saloon,  or 
family4  drawing-room,  the  walls  covered  with  crimson 
paper.  The  upper  and  lower  halls  were  hung  with 
pictures  of  game-hunting  scenes,  and  other  subjects. 
Passing  through  this  hall,  another  flight  of  steps  led 
through  the  garden  to  a small  summer-house  close  to 
Mount  Vernon  Street.  The  grounds  were  laid  out  in 

* Old  Landmarks  of  Boston,  p.  339. 


40 


REVOLUTIONARY  TIMES . 


ornamental  flower-beds  bordered  with  box.  Box-trees 
of  large  size,  with  a great  variety  of  fruit,  among 
which  were  several  immense  mulberry-trees,  dotted 
the  garden. 

But  we  must  not  linger  longer  even  in 
Boston. 

Of  other  towns  in  New  England,  Falmouth, 
now  Portland,  was  already  in  occupation  of  its 
charming  site,  and  was  the  most  important 
town  in  the  old  province  of  Maine.  It  had 
some  four  hundred  dwelling-houses,  some  of 
them  noticeable  for  size  and  elegance,  and 
each  with  its  garden  ; and  there  were  several 
churches  and  a library.  Portsmouth,  N.H., 
was  likewise  in  the  enjoyment  of  a respectable 
age  and  a lucrative  commerce.  Exeter  was 
the  seat  of  the  State  government,  and  boasted 
five  or  six  hundred  dwelling-houses.  New- 
buryport  had  just  received  the  remains  of 
Rev.  George  Whitefield,  and  was  all  aflame 
with  patriotic  fire.  Salem  had  about  four 
hundred  houses ; was  active,  enterprising, 
and  opulent.  Marblehead  had  distinguished 
itself  for  its  fish  trade,  and  as  a breeding 


CITIES  AND  TOWNS . 


41 


place  of  sailors.  Cambridge  was  “ a pretty 
town,”  chiefly  worthy  of  consideration  as  the 
seat  of  Harvard  College.  Watertown  was 
reputed  a place  of  considerable  importance, 
but  was  scarcely  more  than  a village.  Spring- 
field  counted  about  two  hundred  buildings, 
including  one  meeting-house  and  five  taverns, 
affording  accommodations  for  a population  of 
something  less  than  1,500.  Newport,  R.I.,  had 
been  eclipsed  by  Providence,  whose  population 
was  now  about  5,000.  Hartford,  Conn.,  was 
not  yet  an  incorporated  city ; nor  was  New 
Haven. 

Casting  the  eye  now  again  to  the  south- 
ward, we  find  in  Maryland  only  two  towns 
of  any  importance ; namely,  Baltimore  and 
Annapolis,  a pleasant  rivalry  existing  between 
the  two.  No  District  of  Columbia  had  yet 
been  blocked  out  of  the  State.  Georgetown 
had  a score  or  so  of  houses ; but  the  site  of 
Washington  was  still  held  by  pastures  and 
plantations.  Annapolis  had  been  the  head- 
quarters of  Revolutionary  sentiment  in  the 
years  immediately  preceding  the  war,  and  the 
old  buildings  which  it  preserves  to  this  day 


42 


REVOLUTIONARY  TIMES. 


show  much  of  its  appearance  a hundred  years 
ago.  The  State  House  was  erected  in  1772, 
and  was  greatly  admired  at  the  time,  as  it 
deserved  to  be.  Maryland's  four  signers  of  the 
Declaration  — Samuel  Chase,  William  Paca, 
Thomas  Stone,  and  Charles  Carroll  — were  all 
residents  of  Annapolis  ; and  full-length  por- 
traits of  them  all,  two  by  Copley,  still  adorn 
the  walls  of  the  Senate  Chamber.  Paca  is 
shown  in  a claret-colored  coat,  a white  silk 
vest,  black  silk  breeches,  and  white  silk  stock- 
ings ; Stone,  in  a suit  of  graver  hue. 

Baltimore  was  then  as  ever  beautiful  for 
situation ; had  a population  of  from  6,000  to 
7,000  ; and  was  noted  for  its  wealth  and  cul- 
ture. Enjoying  comparative  immunity  from 
the  disturbances  caused  by  the  Revolution,  its 
prosperity  was  scarcely  interrupted  thereby. 
Many  of  its  opulent  merchants  and  aristo- 
cratic families  established  their  country-seats 
in  the  environs  of  the  town,  where  they  dwelt 
in  ease,  and  administered  a generous  hospi- 
tality. 

The  most  important  town  at  the  far  South 
was  Charleston,  S.C.,  whose  spacious  harbor 


CITIES  AND  TOWNS . 


43 


attracted  a considerable  commerce.  The  sight 
of  several  hundred  vessels  there  assembled  at 
a time  was  not  an  uncommon  one.  Previous 
to  the  great  fire  of  1778,  Charleston  contained 
nearly  2,000  houses,  besides  many  public 
buildings,  among  which  latter  was  an  impos- 
ing Exchange.  The  chief  exports  were  rice 
and  indigo,  and  the  rapid  accumulation  of 
wealth  favored  a luxurious  and  showy  manner 
of  life.  The  society  of  the  town  was  distin- 
guished by  many  beautiful  and  accomplished 
women.  No  other  of  the  Colonies  sent  so 
many  of  its  sons  and  daughters  abroad  for 
their  education  ; and  the  English  spirit  infused 
itself  into  many  of  the  customs  of  the  people. 

Savannah  was  covered  to  some  extent  by 
the  shadow  of  Charleston,  but  was  the  centre 
of  an  intelligent  and  patriotic  life,  and  lay 
surrounded  with  large  and  fertile  plantations, 
devoted  to  the  culture  of  rice,  tobacco,  and  in- 
digo ; with  some  mulberry  orchards  contrib- 
uting to  the  silk  manufacture.  Augusta  was 
scarcely  more  than  a remote  trading-post. 
About  ten  miles  from  Savannah  was  “ Beth- 
esda,”  the  orphan  house  founded  by  White- 


44 


REVOLUTIONARY  TIMES . 


field,  for  the  accommodation  of  children  of 
deceased  settlers.  Mr.  Piercy,  an  Episcopal 
clergyman,  was  in  charge.  New  Orleans, 
then  an  object  of  contention  between  the 
Spanish  and  the  French,  had  a population  of 
about  3,000,  of  whom  a third  were  slaves  ; 
but  possessed  an  importance  of  its  own  as  the 
head-quarters  of  the  Spanish  population  in 
the  valley  of  the  Mississippi,  which  amounted 
to  upwards  of  13,000. 


PUBLIC  COMMUNICATIONS.  45 


III. 

PUBLIC  COMMUNICATIONS. 

There  is  extant  a brief  narrative  which 
furnishes  at  once  graphic  pictures  of  some  of 
the  foregoing  towns,  and  many  others,  and  a 
very  vivid  idea  of  the  difficulties  and  perils  of 
travel  in  the  United  States  a hundred  years 
ago.  The  narrative  is  that  of  Elkanah  Wat- 
son, a young  Rhode-Islander,  who,  in  1777, 
made  the  journey  from  Providence  to  Charles- 
ton, S.C.,  on  an  errand  of  considerable  respon- 
sibility. Though  but  nineteen  years  of  age, 
he  possessed  excellent  powers  of  observation 
and  a mature  judgment ; and  the  daily  journal 
which  he  kept  has  no  small  historical  value, 
as  an  outline  of  it  will  readily  make  plain. 

It  was  early  in  September  when  young 
Watson  set  forth,  on  horseback  of  course  ; a 
“ hanger  ” at  his  side  and  a pair  of  pistols  at 
his  holster.  His  way  led  him  first  through 


46 


REVOLUTIONARY  TIMES . 


the  farms  of  Eastern  Connecticut  to  Hartford, 
which  he  found  to  be  “ a wealthy  and  respect- 
able place  ” of  about  three  hundred  houses. 
New  Haven  was  somewhat  larger.  On  cross- 
ing the  Hudson,  which  he  did  at  Peekskill,  he 
entered  a community  of  Dutch  and  Germans  ; 
whose  neat  houses,  generally  of  stone,  pleased 
him,  and  whose  quaint  table-customs  gave 
him  some  amusement.  At  Morristown,  N.J., 
he  fell  in  with  two  other  travellers  going  in 
the  same  direction,  and  exchanged  his  seat  on 
the  saddle  for  one  in  a “ sulky.”  The  British 
having  just  taken  possession  of  Philadelphia, 
the  party  were  obliged  to  make  a considerable 
detour,  by  way  of  Reading,  Lancaster,  and 
York  ; and  even  then  suffered  a night’s  ar- 
rest at  one  point,  on  suspicion  of  being  British 
spies.  They  spent  two  days  at  Bethlehem, 
“ an  interesting  place,”  where  a “ spacious 
tavern  ” afforded  them  very  welcome  comforts. 

The  next  points  of  interest  in  their  way  were 
Reading,  then  containing  about  four  hundred 
houses  ; Reamstown,  where  young  Watson 
had  for  the  first  time  a personal  experience  of 
the  German  custom  of  sleeping  between  two 


PUBLIC  COMMUNICATIONS . 47 


beds  ; and  Euphrates,  “ within  sound  of  Wash- 
ington’s cannon  at  Germantown.”  At  Eu- 
phrates an  opportunity  was  afforded  of  study- 
ing a community  of  “ Dunkers,”  numbering 
about  one  hundred  persons,  whose  peculiari- 
ties did  not  excite  admiration. 

Passing  Lancaster,  they  came  to  York, 
where  Congress,  driven  out  of  Philadelphia, 
was  then  in  session,  and  where  passports  had 
to  be  obtained  for  a continuation  of  the  jour- 
ney ; which,  so  far,  had  occupied  just  a 
month.  v 

Crossing  Maryland  and  entering  Virginia, 
Mr.  Watson  found  Fredericksburg  to  be  a 
pleasantly  situated  village  of  less  than  a thou- 
sand inhabitants,  surrounded  by  fine  planta- 
tions. Williamsburg,  the  capital,  contained 
upwards  of  three  hundred  dwellings,  built 
chiefly  of  wood,  on  one  street  nearly  a mile 
in  length. 

Entering  North  Carolina,  the  first  place  of 
importance  was  Edenton,  with  its  thirty-five 
houses  and  brick  court-house.  Thence  the 
route  lay,  partly  by  water  and  partly  by  land, 
to  Bath,  the  region  being  generally  uninhab- 


48 


REVOLUTIONARY  TIMES. 


ited  and  desolate.  The  river  Neuse  was  fer- 
ried by  night  with  no  little  difficulty  and  some 
danger;  and  Newbern,  the  capital  of  the  Col- 
ony, was  finally  reached  with  great  satisfac- 
tion. It  contained  at  the  time  about  one  hun- 
dred and  fifty  dwellings. 

Between  Newbern  and  Wilmington,  the 
next  town  in  course,  lay  an  almost  unbroken 
wilderness  ; at  one  point  of  which  our  traveller 
lost  his  way,  and  in  another  encountered  a 
large  bear.  Wilmington  had  been  a place  of 
considerable  trade,  which  was  now  however 
at  a stand-still,  owing  to  the  war.  Some  dis- 
tance beyond  Wilmington,  the  road  took  ad- 
vantage for  the  length  of  sixteen  miles  of  the 
beach,  whose  hard  surface  and  exhilarating 
prospect  gave  delightful  relief  from  the  mo- 
notonous loneliness  of  the  swamps  and  pine- 
barrens.  Half-way  along  this  beach-road,  a 
party  of  travellers  was  met  going  northwards, 
who  had  with  them  the  tidings  of  Burgoyne’s 
surrender,  the  same  having  reached  the  South 
by  a more  expeditious  way.  On  the  18th  of 
November,  Mr.  Watson  entered  Charleston, 
having  occupied  seventy  days  in  travelling 
1,243  miles. 


PUBLIC  COMMUNICATIONS. 


49 


Mr.  Watson’s  errand,  it  may  be  said,  was  to 
convey  a very  large  sum  of  money  to  his  em- 
ploy er’s  agents  at  the  South.  His  funds  were 
not  in  the  shape  of  the  checks  or  drafts  of  mod- 
ern times,  but,  it  would  seem,  in  cash,  securely 
quilted  into  the  lining  of  his  coat.  Subse- 
quently he  extended  his  journey  into  Georgia  ; 
and,  in  the  following  spring,  returned  to  the 
North  by  the  way  he  had  come.  The  conclu- 
sions which  he  reached  as  the  result  of  this 
extensive  tour  have  a peculiar  interest  by  rea- 
son of  their  prophetic  character  : — 

The  map  of  the  world  presents  to  view  no  country 
which  combines  so  many  natural  advantages,  is  so 
pleasantly  diversified,  and  offers  to  agriculture,  manu- 
factures, and  commerce  so  many  resources,  all  of 
which  cannot  fail  to  conduct  America  to  the  first  rank 
among  nations.  This  I prophesy.  It  must  be  so. 
In  contemplating  future  America,  the  mind  is  lost  in 
the  din  of  cities,  in  harbors  and  rivers  crowded  with 
sails,  and  in  the  immensity  of  the  population.  . . . 
Admitting  our  population  to  double  every  twenty- three 
years,  the  result,  in  a hundred  years,  will  be  sixty-two 
millions  of  republican  freemen,  approaching  one  hun- 
dred millions  in  the  year  1900,  which  will  be  nearly 
equal  to  all  Europe  at  the  present  day. 

One  incident  related  by  Mr.  Watson  strik- 

4 


50 


REVOLUTIONARY  TIMES . 


ingly  illustrates  the  hospitality  for  which  the 
South  has  ever  been  celebrated.  He  and  a 
companion  stopped  one  day  at  noon  in  the 
vicinity  of  Beaufort,  at  a house  which  they 
supposed  to  be  a tavern  ; and  ordered  dinner, 
with  wine,  in  a spirit  of  the  utmost  freedom. 
On  inquiring  for  their  bill,  their  entertainer’s 
reply  was  : “ Gentlemen,  I keep  no  tavern, 
but  am  very  much  obliged  to  you  for  your 
visit.”  And,  not  content  with  this,  he  exacted 
from  his  visitors  a promise  to  stop  with  him 
again,  when  they  should  afterwards  pass  that 
way. 

It  is  easy  to  see  from  this  recital  what  it 
was  to  travel  a hundred  years  ago.  The  for- 
ests still  sheltered  many  beasts  of  prey,  and 
the  unsettled  times  gave  license  to  the  high- 
wayman. In  sparsely  populated  districts,  the 
blazing  of  trees  was  often  the  traveller’s  only 
guide.  Not  seldom  would  night  overtake  him 
when  far  from  human  habitation  ; and  cut  off 
from  the  accommodations  of  a wayside  tavern, 
or  the  comforts  of  some  hospitable  roof,  he 
would  be  obliged  to  bivouac  in  the  forest,  with 
his  trusty  horse  for  his  only  companion,  and 


PUBLIC  COMMUNICATIONS,  SI 

the  clouds  for  his  only  canopy.  In  going 
between  distant  parts  of  the  country,  within 
the  limits  of  military  occupation,  permits  were 
generally  desirable,  and  sometimes  necessary. 

At  this  time,  the  common  road  was  of  course 
the  only  public  highway.  Railroads  were  still 
far  in  the  future,  and  in  1777  the  first  canal 
only  was  building.  This  was  in  Virginia  from 
Waltham  to  Richmond,  a distance  of  seven 
miles,  with  the  object  of  furnishing  access  to 
a coal  mine.  There  was  one  trunk  road  from 
Boston,  closely  following  the  coast  to  the 
mouth  of  the  Kennebec  ; another  into  New 
Hampshire,  and  so  on  into  Canada  ; another  to 
Providence;  and  another  to  New  York,  con- 
necting the  towns  of  Springfield,  Hartford,  and 
New  Haven,  and  joined  at  the  latter  point  by 
one  which  skirted  the  shore  of  the  Sound  from 
as  far  east  as  the  mouth  of  Narragansett  Bay. 
From  New  York  there  were  two  roads  north- 
ward, following  the  two  sides  of  the  Hudson 
River  as  far  as  Albany,  one  continuing  thence 
to  Lake  George,  the  other  diverging  to  the 
Mohawk  Valley.  Southward,  a road  crossed 
New  Jersey  to  the  Delaware  River,  and  thence 
to  Philadelphia,  and  the  regions  beyond. 


u.  of  ill. 


52 


REVOLUTIONARY  TIMES . 


Over  these  roads  the  only  public  convey- 
ance was  by  stage-coach.  The  fast  coach 
between  New  York  and  Philadelphia,  known 
as  the  “ Flying  Machine,”  made  the  journey 
in  two  days.  From  Philadelphia  to  Baltimore 
it  was  a five  days’  journey  by  similar  convey- 
ance. A journey  from  Boston  to  Phila- 
delphia was  something  to  be  spoken  of  with 
an  exclamation  point.  There  was  a weekly 
stage  between  Boston  and  Portsmouth,  and 
another  from  Boston  to  Newburyport,  this 
advertisement  of  which  in  the  “ Boston 
Gazette,”  of  May  io,  1773,  may  interest  the 
reader : — 


Ezra  Lunt 

T3EGS  Leave  to  inform  the  Public,  That  he  has 
lately  purchafed  an  Intereft  in  the  Newbury-Port 
Stage,  which  has  been  lately  fixed  on  a new  Conftruc- 
tion,  in  which  he  intends  to  improve  four  Horfes, 
which  he  will  drive  himfelf.  — Therefore  he  flatters 
himfelf  that  thofe  Gentlemen  and  Ladies  that  will 
oblige  him  with  their  Cuftom,  will  find  more  Eafe  and 
Pleafure  in  their  Paflages  to  and  from  Bofton,  than 
they  did  heretofore.  As  faid  LUNT  intends  to  ob- 
^ ferve  Punctuality  in  his  Bufinefs,  therefore  he  begs 
that  thofe  Gentlemen  and  Ladies  that  intend  to  be  his 


P UBLIC  CO  MM  UN/C  A T/ONS.  5 3 


Cuftomers,  would  take  Notice  that  he  will  wait  on 
them  for  their  Commands  at  his  Houfe  in  Newbury- 
Port,  oppofite  the  Rev.  Mr.  Parfons’s  Meeting  Houfe  ; 
from  whence  he  will  fet  out  on  Monday  every  Week, 
at  Seven  o’Clock,  and  puts  up  at  Mrs.  Bean’s,  at  the 
Sign  of  the  Ship  in  King-Street,  Bolton  ; where  all 
Baggage,  Bundles,  &c.  will  be  received  and  delivered 
as  diredled,  and  Paffages  engaged.  All  Favours  will 
be  gratefully  acknowledged. 

After  the  Revolution,  a semi-weekly  stage 
was  established  between  New  York  and  Bos- 
ton, which  made  the  trip  in  six  days. 

Many  travellers,  however,  eschewed  the  pub- 
lic stage-coach,  preferring  their  private  vehi- 
cles, the  saddle  or  the  pillion.  Occasionally 
the  traveller,  bound  upon  a long  journey  in 
chaise  or  sulky,  would  advertise  for  a com- 
panion. 

Journeys  between  distant  points  upon  the 
coast  could  of  course  be  made  by  water.  So 
Mr.  Josiah  Quincy,  Jr.,  went  from  Boston  to 
Charleston,  S.C.,  in  1773,  a voyage  which 
took  him  twenty  days.  The  Boston  and  Fal- 
mouth packet  afforded  communication  every 
ten  days  between  Massachusetts  and  Maine ; 
“the  Publick’s  humble  Servant,”  William 


54 


REVOLUTIONARY  TIMES . 


Holland,  proprietor,  advertising  that  the  mas- 
ter of  the  packet,  “ in  order  to  prevent  the 
ufual  Trouble  of  Gentlemen  and  Ladies  pro- 
curing them  Stores  will  furnifh  good  Liquors 
of  all  Sorts,  and  proper  Attendance,  at  the 
common  Prices  in  Taverns.” 

There  were  occasional  packets  between 
Boston  and  various  ports  at  the  South,  and 
between  Boston  and  the  settlements  upon  the 
St.  Lawrence.  As  for  ocean  travel,  that 
of  course  was  the  most  formidable  of  all. 
There  were  regular  packets  between  Boston 
and  New  York  and  English  ports  ; and  six 
weeks  was  not  an  uncommon  time  for  the 
voyage. 

The  difficulties  and  delays  of  travel  were 
felt  with  special  force  in  the  conveyance  of 
troops  for  the  conduct  of  the  war.  With  our 
remembrance  of  the  great  transports  and 
immense  rail-trains  used  in  the  late  Rebellion, 
it  is  hard  to  conceive  of  the  narrowness  of 
the  resources  available  in  the  Revolution. 

The  postal  system  was  in  an  equally  im- 
perfect condition.  In  certain  parts  of  the 
country  there  were  no  mails  whatever,  and  to 


PUBLIC  COMMUNICATIONS. 


55 


a great  extent  letters  were  sent  by  private 
hand.  As  a consequence,  the  transmission  of 
correspondence  was  exceedingly  uncertain, 
and  often  provokingly  delayed.  In  a degree 
it  was  entirely  interrupted  by  the  war.  The 
London  papers  of  Sept.  28,  1776,  contained 
this  notice  from  the  general  post-office  : — 

A Mail  will  be  difpatched  from  hence  on  Wednef- 
day  next  for  New  York,  and  alfo  one  for  Charleftown ; 
after  which  there  will  be  no  regular  Conveyance  for 
Letters  from  the  Office  to  North  America  ; — but  when- 
ever a Packet  may  be  difpatched  to  any  part  of  that 
Continent,  proper  Notice  will  be  given. 

On  the  other  hand,  read  this  notice  from 
the  “ Pennsylvania  Gazette  : ” — 

GENERAL  POST  OFFICE. 

Philadelphia,  February  14th,  1775. 

It  having  been  found  very  inconvenient  to  perfons 
concerned  in  trade,  that  the  mail  from  Philadelphia 
to  New  England  fets  out  but  once  a fortnight  during 
the  winter  feafon  ; this  is  to  give  notice,  that  the  New 
England  mail  will  henceforth  go  once  a week  the  year 
round  ; when  a correfpondence  may  be  carried  on, 
and  anfwers  obtained  to  letters  between  Philadelphia 
and  Bofton  in  three  weeks,  which  ufed  in  the  winter  to 
require  fix  weeks. 

By  command  of  the  poftmafter  general. 

William  Franklin,  Comptroller. 


56 


REVOLUTIONARY  TIMES. 


William  Franklin  was  a son  of  Benjamin 
Franklin.  His  notice  bespeaks  an  enterpris- 
ing and  vigorous  administration  ; but  it  reads 
oddly  by  the  side  of  the  announcements  of 
the  new  post  line  in  1876,  running  through 
between  the  same  points  in  less  than  twenty- 
four  hours. 

The  arrangements  under  which  the  mails 
were  often  carried  are  well  set  forth  in  the 
following  advertisement  from  the  “ Conti- 
nental Journal, n of  Dec.  25,  1777:  — 

William  Shurtliff,  Poft- Rider. 

Letters  diretted  to  the  army  now  at  the  fouth - 
ward,  lodged  at  the  publick  houfes , or  places,  here- 
after mentioned,  on  Thursday  the  Sih  day  of  January 
1778,  viz,  at  Col.  Sprout’^  Middleborough : Capt. 
Nathaniel  Little’s,  Kingfton;  Mr.  Thomas  Witherel’s, 
Ply?nouth  ; Mr.  Jonathan  Parker’s  Plyjnton  ; Mefflrs . 
Porter’s  and  White’s  Taunton  ; Mr.  Samuel  Lane’s 
Norton;  Gill’s  Printing  Office  and  Lamb  Tavern , 
Bolton  ; Mr.  Partridge’.?,  Roxbury ; Mr.  Daniel 
Vole’s  and  Mrs.  Bent’.?  Milton;  Mrs.  May’.?  Stough- 
ton; Mr.  Randell,  Stoughtonham ; Mr.  Man.?,  Wren - 
tham,  and  at  his  Houfe  in  Mansfield ; will  be  care- 
fully conveyed  and  a fpeedy  Return  made  by  the 
Publick’s  molt  humble  Servant. 

William  Shurtliff. 


PUBLIC  COMMUNICATIONS. 


57 


n.b.  It  will  be  expelled  that  the  pojlages  be  left  with 
the  letters ; and  am  very  forry  to  acquaint  my  Cuf 
tomers  and  others  that  I cannot  afford  to  carry  under 
Three  Shillings  per  fingle  Letter;  and  if  it  be  duly 
confidered  that  the  Seafon  of  the  Year  is  bad,  the 
Journey  long,  and  expences  on  the  Road  f 'o  amazing 
great,  I flatter  myfelf  I fhall  not  be  thought  unrea- 
fonable . 

Without  giving  too  much  license  to  the 
imagination,  we  can  easily  picture  to  ourselves 
the  country  post-office  of  those  days.  We 
may  find  it  at  the  village  tavern,  where  once 
a week  the  passing  stage-coach  deposits  the 
pouch  which  serves  a common  purpose  for  all 
the  towns  around.  The  letters  for  this  office 
are  leisurely  removed  by  the  post-master,  and 
the  others  replaced  to  be  carried  on  to  further 
destinations  ; and,  as  he  lays  the  mail  away  in 
the  single  box  or  narrow  drawer  which  can 
easily  contain  it  all,  he  and  the  curious  group 
of  by-standers  about  him  carefully  scrutinize 
each  letter  as  if  to  read  its  very  soul,  and 
make  it  the  theme  of  gossip  and  remark  until 
another  week  rolls  round. 

Letters  meant  something  in  those  days. 


58 


REVOLUTIONARY  TIMES . 


Writing  paper  was  often  a very  scarce  com- 
modity, postage  was  costly,  and  when  people 
wrote  at  all  they  were  likely  to  write  long  and 
well.  We  shall  doubtless  never  see  again 
such  letters  as  have  come  down  to  us  out 
of  this  past. 


CHARACTER  AND  LIFE . 


59 


IV. 

SOME  GENERAL  FEATURES  OF  CHAR- 
ACTER AND  LIFE. 

The  most  distinct  coloring  which  different 
parts  of  the  country  wore  in  turn  at  the  time 
of  the  Revolution  was  of  course  the  military 
coloring.  The  highways  were  often  full  of 
marching  men,  the  harbors  of  transports  and 
vessels  of  war,  the  cities  of  garrisons  ; and 
fortifications  and  the  signs  of  war  met  the  eye 
in  almost  every  direction.  The  stillness  of  the 
Sabbath  was  broken,  and  the  privacy  of  homes 
invaded,  by  the  inseparable  accompaniments 
of  the  camp  and  the  campaign.  But  all  this 
impress  could  not  obliterate  the  distinct  feat- 
ures of  the  life  of  the  period. 

The  population  of  the  United  States  in 
1776  was  about  three  millions.  The  con- 
trasts between  the  North  and  the  South, 
though  not  so  marked  as  they  grew  to  be, 


6o 


REVOLUTIONARY  TIMES . 


were  yet  striking ; almost  as  much  so  in  the 
temper  and  habit  of  the  people  as  in  the  phys- 
ical aspects  and  the  climate  of  the  two  sec- 
tions. The  leading  traits  of  New  England 
character  and  life  were  thus  summed  up  by 
John  Adams,  in  1775  :*  — 

New  England  has,  in  many  respects,  the  advantage 
of  every  other  colony  in  America,  and,  indeed,  of 
every  other  part  of  the  world  that  I know  any  thing  of. 

1.  The  people  are  purer  English  blood  ; less  mixed 
with  Scotch,  Irish,  Dutch,  French,  Danish,  Swedish, 
&c.,  than  any  other  ; and  descended  from  Englishmen, 
too,  who  left  Europe  in  purer  times  than  the  present, 
and  less  tainted  with  corruption  than  those  they  left 
behind  them. 

2.  The  institutions  in  New  England  for  the  sup- 
port of  religion,  morals,  and  decency  exceed  any 
other;  obliging  every  parish  to  have  a minister,  and 
every  person  to  go  to  meeting,  &c. 

3.  The  public  institutions  in  New  England  for  the 
education  of  youth,  supporting  colleges  at  the  public 
expense,  and  obliging  towns  to  maintain  grammar 
schools,  are  not  equaled,  and  never  were,  in  any  part 

•of  the  world. 

4.  The  division  of  our  territory,  that  is,  our  coun- 
ties, into  townships  ; empowering  towns  to  assemble, 
choose  officers,  make  laws,  mend  roads,  and  twenty 

* Familiar  Letters,  pp.  120,  121. 


CHARACTER  AND  LIFE. 


6i 


other  things,  gives  every  man  an  opportunity  of  show- 
ing and  improving  that  education  which  he  received  at 
college  or  at  school,  and  makes  knowledge  and  dex- 
terity at  public  business  common. 

5.  Our  law  for  the  distribution  of  intestate  estates 
occasions  a frequent  division  of  landed  property,  and 
prevents  monopolies  of  land. 

In  warmth  and  generosity  of  temperament, 
the  people  of  the  Middle  and  Southern  Colo- 
nies perhaps  surpassed  their  brethren  in  New 
England  ; the  arts  of  a stately  and  fashion- 
able life  were  carried  by  them  to  a greater 
degree  of  perfection  ; and  there  was  an  indul- 
gence in  expensive  and  luxurious  tastes  to  a 
degree  with  which  the  sterner  spirit  of  the 
Pilgrim  and  the  Puritan  could  hardly  sym- 
pathize. But  such  a disposition  sought  ex- 
cesses which  often  settled  into  vices,  and  the 
general  character  of  the  people  suffered  in 
consequence.  Many  of  the  Southern  planters 
lived  in  a state  of  real  magnificence  and  splen- 
dor. The  family  mansion  was  often  the  cen- 
tre of  a little  village  of  negro  huts,  and  the 
proprietor  ruled  absolute  over  a considerable 
community.  The  landed  aristocracy  of  Vir- 
ginia and  the  Carolinas  patterned  their  lives 


62 


REVOLUTIONARY  TIMES . 


largely  after  the  English  model,  and  strenu- 
ously preserved  the  line  between  the  patrician 
and  the  plebeian.  There  were  few  more  fer- 
tile and  carefully  finished  regions  than  the 
farms  of  Eastern  Pennsylvania ; and  the  rep- 
resentative farmer  of  that  State  was  often  a 
man  of  intelligence  and  taste  as  well  as  of 
wealth,  giving  large  place  to  the  library  in 
his  comfortable  abode,  and  finding  time  amidst 
the  pursuits  of  the  field  for  the  pleasures  and 
profits  of  the  intellectual  life. 

The  two  great  parties  were  the  Whigs  and 
the  Tories,  names  which  were  first  adopted 
about  1770  to  distinguish  the  republicans  and 
the  loyalists  of  the  Revolution.  Party  spirit 
ran  high,  and  often  degenerated  into  bitterness 
and  hatred. 

There  was  wealth  ; but  there  were  few  vast 
fortunes,  measured  by  the  standards  of  to-day. 
In  all  the  country,  there  was  probably  not 
more  than  one  man,  perhaps  not  even  one, 
who  was  worth  a million  of  dollars.  He  was 
a rich  man,  in  Boston  or  New  York,  who  had 
his  forty  or  fifty  thousand  pounds. 

We  must  not  think  that  our  present  times 


CHARACTER  AND  LIFE. 


63 


are  the  worst  which  our  country  has  seen. 
John  Adams,  writing  from  Philadelphia,  in 
October,  1 776,  when  and  where  Congress  was 
in  session,  said  to  his  wife  : — 

The  spirit  of  venality  you  mention  is  the  most 
dreadful  and  alarming  enemy  America  has  to  oppose. 
It  is  as  rapacious  and  insatiable  as  the  grave.  . . . 
This  predominant  avarice  will  ruin  America,  if  she  is 
ever  ruined.  If  God  Almighty  does  not  interfere  by 
His  grace  to  control  this  universal  idolatry  to  the  mam- 
mon of  unrighteousness,  we  shall  be  given  up  to  the 
chastisement  of  His  judgments.  I am  ashamed  of  the 
age  I live  in. 

Unfortunately,  venality  was  not  the  only 
vice  of  the  times.  There  were  many  and 
grave  departures  from  the  standards,  at  least 
from  those  standards  which  are  commonly 
accepted  now.  Intemperance  and  grosser 
immoralities  were  common,  and  had  not  the 
force  of  public  sentiment  to  struggle  with 
which  has  been  raised  up  against  them  in 
recent  times.  Profaneness,  which  is  now  both 
unchristian  and  ungentlemanly,  was  at  least 
hardly  ungentlemanly  then  ; and  the  lottery 
system,  which  is  now  generally  prohibited  by 


64 


REVOLUTIONARY  TIMES . 


statute,  had  then  the  countenance  of  good  cit- 
izens and  even  the  sanction  of  the  Congress. 
By  a lottery,  indeed,  the  Congress  sought  aid 
towards  meeting  the  expenses  of  the  war. 
Mob  violence  was  a necessary  feature  of  the 
times,  and  social  scandals  had  their  place  as 
now  upon  the  public  record.  We  venture  to 
reproduce  from  the  “New  England  Chroni- 
cle,” of  April  25,  1776,  the  following  “state- 
ment,” which  is  an  affecting  one  by  reason 
of  both  its  tenor  and  its  syntax.  We  call  the 
readers  special  attention  to  the  “ brass  kettle.” 


HE  inhabitants  of  New-Bofton,  having  obferved 


in  feveral  of  your  papers,  a publication  of  Wil- 
liam M’Neil  of  faid  town;  fetting  forth,  in  a very 
erroneous  and  cruel  manner,  that  his  wife  had  wafted 
his  fubftance,  and  had  refufed  living  with  him  at  his 
lodgings  ; and  he  was  ftill  willing  to  receive  her,  and 
to  treat  her  courteoufly  and  cordially  ; notwithftand- 
ing  alfo,  refufeth  paying  any  debt,  (he  may  hereafter 
contra6l,  forne  of  which  things  are  falfe,  and  the  reft 
inhumane  and  cruel. 

Therefore,  the  inhabitants  in  town-meeting  aftem- 
bled,  unanimoufly  voted  their  entire  difapprobation, 
and  contempt  of  the  proceedings  of  faid  M’Neil, 


To  the  PRINTER 


CHARACTER  AND  LIFE . 


65 


refpe<5ting  his  wife,  and  beg  leave  to  inform  the  public 
of  the  true  Hate  and  circumftances  of  the  cafe.  Mrs. 
M’Neil,  before  the  married  her  prefent  hufband,  was  a 
widow,  and  had  under  her  care  the  eftate  of  her  chil- 
dren ; and  Mr.  M’Neil  was  a man  of  very  little  intereft, 
and  as  little  inclined  to  labour.  He  had  three  lots  of 
land  given  him,  in  faid  town,  for  fettling  (each  lot  con- 
tained 50  acres)  except  a very  trifle,  which  he  paid  for 
three  cottages,  which  the  proprietors  built  on  faid  lots. 
The  value  of  the  land  was  then  but  trifling,  for  there 
were  then  but  three  families  in  the  town.  Before 
marriage,  Mr.  M’Neil  borrowed  money  of  Mrs.  M’- 
Neil, which  belonged  to  her  children,  to  pay  his  debts, 
which  he  was  then  involved  in  ; and  alfo  gave  him  the 
very  fhirt  that  he  was  married  in  ; and  diredtly  after 
marriage,  was  obliged  to  fell  even  the  very  curtains, 
from  her  bed,  to  pay  for  his  board,  which  he  alfo  owed 
before  marriage  ; and  the  firft  fummer  after  they  were 
married,  fhe  tarried  in  Chefter  (where  fhe  formerly 
lived)  and  by  her  own  frugality,  prudence  and  induftry, 
and  by  felling  her  brafs  kettle  (which  was  hers  alfo 
before  marriage)  fhe  provided  herfelf,  her  hufband, 
and  two  boys,  with  provifions  of  all  forts  for  that  fum- 
mer (and  the  three  laft  were  at  New-Bofton,  at  the 
diftance  of  better  than  30  miles  from  her.)  And  fince 
fhe  removed  to  New-Bofton,  which  is  better  than  20 
years,  fhe  has  reared  a family  of  fmall  children  ; and 
by'her  continual  affiduity,  has  brought  his  eftate  to 
what  it  now  is  ; which  is  not  inconfiderable  ; and  he 
himfelf  has  been  abfent  almoft  the  whole  of  the  time 
5 


66 


REVOLUTIONARY  TIMES . 


(except  in  the  winter,  there  was  .little  or  nothing  to  be 
done.;)  fo  that  it  appears  in  fadt,  that  the  has  main- 
tained him,  herfelf,  and  family,  almoft  entirely  fince 
they  were  unhappily  joined.  And  now,  inftead  of  her 
forfaking  him,  he  has  forfaken  her,  and  his  family,  and 
let  out  the  farm  to  a ftranger  (upon  terms  which 
he  denied  their  own  fon)  and  feems  to  requeft  her  to 
remove  to  a place  (where  all  things  confidered)  every 
body  muft  judge  unreafonable,  as  well  as  unjuft,  and 
cruel,  which  to  avoid  all  reflections  that  we  poffibly 
can,  and  do  the  innocent  juftice  we  fhall  omit ; and  to 
make  her  cafe  as  deplorable,  as  poffible,  threatens  to 
take  from  her  all  the  neceffaries  of  life,  and  requires 
her  to  do  that,  which  (without  breach  of  charity)  we 
think  we  can  affert,  he  himfelf  in  nowife  wifheth  and 
refufeth  to  leave  to  indifferent  perfons,  to  fettle  honour- 
ably that,  which,  by  the  tenor  of  his  actions,  he  does 
not  wifh  to  be  done  honeftly.  And  now  having  de- 
clared the  truth,  we  fubmit  it  to  the  public,  to  judge 
his  reafons  for  advertifing  his  wife. 

By  order  of  the  town. 

WM.  CLARK,  Town-Clerk. 
New-Bojlon , March  26,  1 776. 

There  was  a severity  in  public  punishments 
which  we  of  this  day  would  hardly  endure. 
The  stocks,  the  pillory,  and  the  whipping- 
post are  too  familiar  to  need  detailed  men- 
tion. One  document  in  point  we  must  make 


CHARACTER  AND  LIFE , 


67 


room  for,  even  though  its  date  places  it  a little 
outside  of  the  field  we  are  especially  view- 
ing :*  — 

Strong  Licker  to  Exses. 

at  a Cort  holden  at  Farmington  In  hartford  County 
Janerarythe  13:  1762  presant  Jared  Lee  Just  peace  for 
sd  County  whearas  David  Culver  of  Farmington  In  sd 
County  was  atached  and  brought  befouer  Jared  Lee 
Just-peace  to  answer  unto  one  sertin  Complaint  Giv- 
enin  In  the  Name  and  behalf  of  our  Lord  the  King  by 
obadiah  Andrus  Constabel  to  the  sd  Jared  Lee  Just 
peace  the  Complainant  saith  that  the  sd  Culver  was  In 
the  hous  of  Jonathan  Root  In  Southington  on  the  20 
of  October  Last  past  and  Did  ther  Drink  Strong 
licker  to  Exses  that  he  was  Found  Drunk  In  the  Lane 
near  Aaron  websters  and  at  his  one  plaes  of  abode 
being  bereaved  of  the  eues  of  his  Reason  and  under- 
standing and  Lims  the  sd  David  Culver  pleads  Gilty 
In  Cort  theirfouer  Find  that  the  sd  Culver  shal  pay  as 
a fine  to  the  town  tresuar  of  this  town  the  sum  of 
o — 8 — o Lawfull  mony  as  Fine  and  Coast  alowed 
£0 — 3 — 6 mony  whear  of  Execution  Remains  to 
be  don  £0  — 8 — o Fine  Febuary  the  6 1762  then 

Execution  Granted  on  the  o — 3 — 6 Cost  the  above 
judgment 

Feb  22:  1762  then  Execution 
Returned  satisfied 

obadiah  Andrus  Constabel 
of  Farmington 

* Sketches  of  Southington,  p.  410. 


68 


REVOLUTIONARY  TIMES . 


Slavery,  it  should  be  borne  in  mind,  existed 
generally  throughout  the  States,  though  the 
agitation  of  emancipation  had  a place  in  the 
counsels  which  attended  the  foundation  of 
the  government.  How  strange  it  is  to  read 
to-day  of  the  buying  and  selling  of  slaves  in 
New  England  a hundred  years  ago,  and  to 
find  in  the  Boston  papers  of  that  time  adver- 
tisements of  runaway  negroes.  The  follow- 
ing document  is  probably  one  of  the  last  of  its 
kind  : — 

to  all  men  to  home  these  Presents  come  — greeting 
know  yeae  that  I Josiah  Campe  of  Milford  in  the 
County  of  Newhaven  in  the  State  of  Connecticut  for 
the  consideration  of  Sixty  Pounds  Lawfull  money  Do 
Sell  make  over  and  conforme  unto  Abraham  Clark  of 
Milford  in  s’d  county  and  state  afores’d  as  my  one 
Proper  Estate  on  negro  Boy  named  Handow  Coggs 
thirteen  yearse  and  During  s’d  negroo  naturall  Life 
and  if  said  negroo  Is  set  free  within  six  yeare  from 
this  Date  by  the  Laws  of  this  state  then  I Josiah 
Camp  Do  bind  my  Self  my  heirs  Executor  or  adminis- 
trator to  Pay  back  to  s’d  Clark  so  much  of  s’d  sum 
as  shall  be  judged  that  s’d  negroo  hase  not  earnt  and 
I Josiah  Campe  Do  bind  my  Self  my  heirs  executor  or 
administrator  formerly  by  these  Presents  to  warrent 
and  Defend  s’d  Clark  from  all  Clame  from  aney  Per- 


CHARACTER  AND  LIFE . 


69 


son  or  Persons  what  so  ever  for  s’d  negroo  whereunto 
I have  Set  my  hand  and  sell  this  30th  Day  of  January 
Ad  1784. 

JOSIAH  CAMP. 

In  presents  of  witnesses 
Michael  Pike, 

Nathaniel  Tibbals. 

Fashions  changed  a hundred  years  ago  as 
they  do  now,  and  perhaps  it  would  be  impos- 
sible to  give  an  exact  picture  of  the  costumes 
of  different  classes  at  any  one  given  time. 
But,  in  general,  it  may  be  said  that  gentlemen 
wore  small-clothes,  knee-buckles,  and  buckled 
shoes  ; coats  broad-skirted,  wide-cuffed,  and 
lace-ruffled,  and  of  brown,  gray,  claret,  or 
other  color  ; long  waistcoats  with  broad  flaps 
over  the  pockets,  cocked  hats,  and  in  many 
cases  wigs  and  powdered  hair.  The  small 
sword  was  a common  article  of  full  dress, 
while  scarlet  cloth  and  gold  and  silver  lace, 
with  showy  buttons,  were  resorted  to  by  patri- 
cians on  important  occasions.  The  ladies 
made  up  their  silks  and  satins  and  brocades 
into  sacques  and  petticoats,  hooped  and 
trailed,  set  off  with  ruffles,  and  variously  pat- 
terned and  bedecked,  according  to  the  style 


70 


REVOLUTIONARY  TIMES . 


of  the  hour.  They  spent  much  time  upon 
their  hair,  and  the  arrangement  of  the  head- 
dress for  the  great  party  or  the  grand  ball 
was  a very  complicated  operation.  One  of 
these  grand  wardrobes  — one  that  actually 
figured  at  some  of  Martha  Washington's  re- 
ceptions— has  been  thus  recently  described 
in  public  print,  by  a lady  evidently  fully  capa- 
ble of  appreciating  its  beauties  and  peculiari- 
ties : — 


The  satin  slip,  as  it  was  then  called,  or,  as  we 
should  say,  under-skirt,  was  white,  but  it  is  now  of  a 
rich  cream  color  at  night ; in  day-time  it  shows  the 
discoloration  of  age.  This  slip  is  so  narrow  that  it  is 
a wonder  how  any  woman  ever  walked  with  ease  in  it. 
Around  the  bottom  is  a simple  row  of  very  costly  lace, 
of  the  kind  known  as  Honiton.  The  over-dress  is  an 
India  satin,  Turkey  red,  as  our  ancestors  had  it.  It  is 
cut  close  to  the  form  with  a few  gathers  at  the  back,  — 
a modern  tie-back  is  nothing  to  it ; the  queer  old 
waist  terminates  just  below  the  bust.  It  is  rather 
diamond-shaped  than  square  in  the  neck,  with  a fall  of 
white  lace,  with  which  also  the  skirt  of  the  “ Turkey  ” 
is  trimmed.  The  shoes  are  most  singular.  It  seems 
as  if  no  woman  ever  could  have  walked  in  them,  but 
the  soles  show  that  they  have  been  worn.  They  are 
of  white  satin,  with  the  toe  part  sharpened  almost  to  a 


CHARACTER  AND  LIFE. 


7 1 


point,  while  the  heel  is  placed  in  the  centre  of  the 
slipper  ; the  heel  is  about  two  inches  high,  and  at  the 
end  resembles  the  stem  of  an  inverted  clay-pipe. 

These,  and  like  these,  were  of  course  the 
fashions  of  the  fashionable  people  of  the  cit- 
ies and  of  wealthy  circles.  The  plain  folks 
dressed  in  soberer  styles.  The  soldiers  of 

the  Revolutionary  army  knew  little  of  the 
splendors,  or  even  of  the  neatness  and  com- 
fort, of  uniforms  ; and  it  is  one  of  the  humors 
of  our  own  time  to  say  that  the  original  ulster 
overcoat  was  invented  at  Valley  Forge,  con- 
sisting of  a bed-blanket  with  holes  to  put  the 
arms  through,  and  a mule-halter  for  a belt. 

Let  it  not  be  forgotten  in  this  connection, 
that  the  Revolutionary  soldiers  musket  was  a 
fire-lock,  and  that  he  carried  not  cartridges, 
but  powder  in  a horn  hung  by  his  side.  The 
tinder-box  had  not  yet  been  superseded  by 
the  match-box,  and  flint  and  steel  did  exclu- 
sive service  in  kindling  spark  and  flame.  As 
for  other  marks  of  the  stage  which  society 
had  reached,  we  refer  the  reader  to  three  items 
from  Mr.  Trumbuirs  “ new  edition  ” of  “the 
Pilgrim’s  Progress,”  as  follows  : — 


72 


REVOLUTIONARY  TIMES. 


1770  Buys  a home-made  Wooden  Clock. 

1774  Lights  Boston  streets  with  oil  lamps; 

1780  Buys  an  Umbrillo  for  Sundays  ; and  when- 
ever he  shows  it  is  laughed  at  for  his  effeminacy. 

Of  amusements  there  was  little  variety  in 
the  olden  time.  Some  of  the  domestic  in- 
dustries were  turned  to  good  account  for  pur- 
poses of  pastime  ; and  the  husking-match,  the 
quilting-bee,  and  the  apple-paring  gave  the 
young  people  ample  opportunity  for  the  play 
of  pleasant  feeling.  The  “raising”  was  made 
a half-holiday  for  the  men  of  all  the  neighbor- 
hood. Fencing  was  a manly  accomplishment, 
and  had  its  teachers  in  the  cities  and  large 
towns.  The  ladies  gave  coffee-parties  of  an 
afternoon  ; and  a dinner-party  of  the  elect 
was  a very  grand  affair.  An  occasional  con- 
cert enlivened  the  monotony  of  life,  as  thus:* 

At  Concert  Hall,  on  Thurfday  the  22nd  Inflant, 
will  be  a grand  CONCERT  of  VOCAL  and  IN- 
STRUMENTAL MUSIC.  Firft  Violin  by  Mr.  Mor- 
gan, Harpfichord  by  Mr.  Propert.  The  firft  A6t  will 
conclude  with  the  celebrated  Highland  Ladie  Con- 
certo ; and  by  particular  Defire  will  be  Sung,  the 
Favorite  Song  of  Mongo,  out  of  the  Padlock. 

* Boston  Gazette,  Monday,  April  12,  1773. 


CHARACTER  AND  LIFE . 


73 


Tickets  to  be  had  of  the  Printers,  at  the  Britifh 
Coffee  Houfe,  and  at  Mr.  Propert’s  Lodgings,  at 
Half  a Dollar  each.  To  begin  at  Seven  o’clock. 

No  Money  to  be  taken  at  the  Door. 

The  first  attempt  at  theatricals  in  Boston 
was  made  somewhere  about  1750.  It  called 
out  a law  forbidding  such  amusements,  and 
the  town  allowed  no  regular  theatre  until 
nearly  the  close  of  the  century.  That  which 
the  British  maintained  in  Faneuil  Hall  in 
1775  was,  of  course,  a forced  exception  to  the 
rule.  In  New  York,  the  case  was  different, 
where,  at  the  opening  of  the  Revolution,  the 
little  theatre  on  John  Street  had  been  minis- 
tering to  the  public  want  since  1767.  Of  a 
performance  on  the  25th  of  January,  1777, 
Game’s  “ Mercury”  gives  this  account:  — 

January  26.  — Laft  evening,  the  little  theatre  in  John 
Street,  in  New  York,  was  opened,  with  the  cele- 
brated burlefque  entertainment  of  Tom  Thumb,  writ- 
ten by  the  late  Mr.  Fielding  to  ridicule  the  bathos 
of  feveral  dramatic  pieces  that  at  his  time,  to  the  dis- 
grace of  the  Britifh  flage,  had  engrofled  both  the  Lon- 
don theatres.  The  charadlers  were  performed  by 
gentlemen  of  the  navy  and  army.  The  fpirit  with 
which  this  favorite  piece  was  fupported  by  the  per- 


74 


REVOLUTIONARY  TIMES. 


formers,  proves  their  tafte  and  ftrong  conception  of 
the  humor.  The  performance  convinces  us  that  a 
good  education  and  knowledge  of  polite  life,  are  eifen- 
tially  neceffary  to  conftitute  a good  a<5tor.  The  play 
was  introduced  by  a prologue  written  and  fpoken  by 
Captain  Stanley.  We  have  great  pleafure  in  applaud- 
ing this  firft  effort  of  his  infant  mufe,  as  replete  with 
true  poetic  genius.  The  fcenes  painted  by  Captain 
De  Lancey,  have  great  merit,  and  would  not  difgrace 
a theatre,  though  under  the  management  of  a Garrick. 
The  houfe  was  crowded  with  company,  and  the  ladies 
made  a brilliant  appearance. 

The  John  Street  Theatre  was  an  unsightly 
building,  painted  red,  standing  some  dis- 
tance back  from  the  street,  and  approached 
from  the  sidewalk  by  a covered  way.  During 
the  occupation  of  the  city  by  the  British,  the 
theatrical  company  was  stocked  by  inferior 
officers  of  the  army  and  navy,  who  were  glad 
to  share  the  profits  accruing  from  their  per- 
formances, for  the  replenishment  of  their 
easily  wasted  purses. 

The  objections  which  the  theatre  still  en- 
counters in  the  minds  of  a considerable  por- 
tion of  the  community  were  in  the  strongest 
possible  force  then. 


CHARACTER  AND  LIFE . 


75 


Josiah  Quincy,  Jr.,  wrote  of  himself,  on  one 
occasion,  as  having  been  “ much  amused  ” 
by  a performance  which  he  witnessed  at  this 
John  Street  Theatre  in  1773,  but  adds:  “As 
a citizen  and  friend  to  the  morals  and  happi- 
ness of  society,  I should  strive  hard  against 
the  admission,  and  much  more  the  establish- 
ment, of  a theatre  in  any  State  of  which  I 
was  a member.,, 

Another  curious  instance  of  the  public  sen- 
timent of  the  time  respecting  the  theatre,  and 
not  only  that,  but  of  the  degree  to  which  leg- 
islation undertook  to  regulate  the  conscience, 
is  found  in  a vote  of  Congress  passed  on  the 
1 6th  of  October,  1778,  as  follows  : — 

Whereas  frequenting  play-houses  and  theatrical  en- 
tertainments has  a fatal  tendency  to  divert  the  minds 
of  the  people  from  a due  attention  to  the  means  nec- 
essary for  the  defence  of  their  country  and  preserva- 
tion of  their  liberties, 

Resolved ' That  any  person  holding  an  office  under 
the  United  States,  who  shall  act,  promote,  encourage, 
or  attend  such  play,  shall  be  deemed  unworthy  to  hold 
such  office,  and  shall  be  accordingly  dismissed. 

In  connection  with  the  record  of  this  vote, 


76 


REVOLUTIONARY  TIMES. 


in  its  issue  of  Nov.  2,  1778,  the  “New  York 
Journal  ” relates  the  following  pleasant  in- 
cident : — 

The  theatre  being  open  laft  evening,  the  Marquis 
de  La  Fayette  being  in  company  with  his  Excellency 
the  Prefident  of  Congrefs,  alked  him  to  accompany 
him  to  the  play.  The  Prelident  politely  excufing  him- 
felf,  the  marquis  preffed  him  to  go.  The  Prefident 
then  informed  the  marquis  that  Congrefs  having  that 
day  palled  a refolution,  recommending  to  the  feveral 
States  to  ena6t  laws  for  the  fuppreffion  of  theatrical 
amufements,  he  could  not  poffibly  do  himfelf  the  honor 
of  waiting  upon  him  to  the  play.  “ Ah  ! ” replied  the 
marquis,  “ have  Congrefs  paffed  fuch  a refolution  ? then 
I will  not  go  to  the  play.”  • 

The  social  dance  and  the  public  ball  seem, 
after  all,  to  have  been  the  popular  diversion. 
The  dancing-master  had  employment  even  in 
staid  and  proper  Boston.  Thus  :*  — 

Dancing  Academy. 

'''T'HOMAS  TURNER,  begs  leave  to  acquaint  the 
Public,  he  has  open’d  a School  oppofite  William 
ValfaH’s,  Efq : to  teach  the  elegant  Art  of  Dancing  in 
the  molt  improved  Talte,  viz.  Minuets,  Cotillions, 
Hornpipes  and  Englilh  Country  Dances.  — Thofe 


* The  Boston  Gazette,  Monday,  March  20,  1775. 


CHARACTER  AND  LIFE . 


77 


Parents  to  whom  it  may  be  agreeable,  to  confer  on 
him  the  Tutorage  of  their  Children,  may  depend  on 
fuch  Care  and  Affiduity,  as  fhall  prove  greatly  to  their 
Advantage.  — Any  Gentleman  or  Lady  not  inclining 
to  attend  the  publick  School,  fhall  be  waited  on  with 
Pleafure  and  Attention. 

The  public  ball,  with  the  graceful  minuet 
and  the  stately  contra-dance,  seems  to  have 
been  the  favorite  form  of  demonstration  in 
honor  of  festive  anniversary  and  distinguished 
guest.  When  on  one  occasion  La  Fayette 
was  in  Baltimore,  on  his  way  to  the  “ front  ” 
at  the  South,  a ball  was  tendered  to  him. 

“ Why  so  gloomy  at  a ball  ? ” asked  some 
belle  of  the  evening,  who  had  been  struck 
with  the  soberness  of  the  young  French 
nobleman. 

“ I cannot  enjoy  the  gayety  of  the  scene,” 
was  his  reply,  “ while  so  many  of  the  poor 
soldiers  are  without  shirts  and  other  neces- 
saries.” 

“ We  will  supply  them,”  was  the  impulsive 
reply  of  the  assembled  ladies,  who  met  next 
day  to  make  up  clothing  for  their  suffering 
defenders.  In  this  and  other  ways,  the  mere 


78 


REVOLUTIONARY  TIMES . 


pleasure-seeking  spirit  of  even  those  troublous 
times  often  met  a just  rebuke  and  was  turned 
into  wiser  channels. 

Many  stories  have  come  down,  pleasantly 
illustrative  of  the  patriotic  sentiments  that  pre- 
vailed. Nothing  was  commoner  than  for  chil- 
dren to  be  named  after  Washington,  Hancock, 
the  Adamses,  and  other  of  the  Revolutionary 
leaders.  On  a Sunday  in  July,  1776,  the  Rev. 
Mr.  Perry,  of  East  Windsor,  Conn.,  had  the 
distinguishing  privilege  of  baptizing  a child 
by  the  name  of  “ Independence/’  — not  proba- 
bly a solitary  experience.  But  when  about 
the  same  time  a minister  of  Norwalk  was 
called  to  baptize  the  child  of  a Mr.  Edwards 
by  the  name  of  Thomas  Gage,  the  neighbor- 
hood was  aroused ; and  “ one  hundred  and 
feventy  young  ladies  formed  themfelves  into 
a battalion,  and  with  folemn  ceremony  ap- 
pointed a general  and  other  officers  to  lead 
them  on.  This  petticoat  army  then  marched 
in  the  greateft  good  order  to  pay  their  com- 
pliments to  Thomas  Gage,  and  prefent  his 
mother  with  a fuit  of  tar  and  feathers ; ” * and 
* New  England  Gazette,  May  30,  1776. 


CHARACTER  AND  LIFE. 


79 


only  the  courage  and  valor  of  the  innocent 
baby’s  sire  seem  to  have  thwarted  the  pur- 
pose of  the  expedition. 

Mr.  Jacob  Vredenburgh,  barber,  of  New 
York,  received  the  formal  thanks  of  the  New 
York  Sons  of  Liberty,  “for  his  firm,  spirited, 
and  patriotic  conduct  in  refusing  to  complete 
an  operation  vulgarly  called  shaving,  which 
he  had  begun  on  the  face  of  Captain  John 
Croser,  Commander  of  the  ‘ Empress  of  Russia/ 
one  of  his  Majesty’s  transports  now  lying  in 
the  river ; but  most  fortunately  and  providen- 
tially was  informed  of  the  identity  of  the 
gentleman’s  person,  when  he  had  about  half- 
finished  the  job.” 


8o 


REVOLUTIONARY  TIMES . 


V. 

DOMESTIC  CONCERNS. 

It  must  be  remembered  that  life  a hundred 
years  ago  was  generally  marked  by  great  iso- 
lation. Outside  of  the  few  cities  and  leading 
towns,  the  population  was  never  dense,  and 
often  just  the  opposite  ; so  that  the  house  and 
home  of  the  average  family  was  in  a measure 
shut  up  to  itself.  From  the  elegant  mansions 
of  New  York,  Philadelphia,  and  Boston,  to  the 
rude  log  cabin  of  the  settler  in  the  backwoods, 
there  was  almost  every  variety  of  dwelling 
and  infinite  grade  of  establishment.  Living 
not  in  communities,  but  separately,  there  was 
often  a tendency  to  an  elaborate  completeness 
not  called  for  in  our  time,  when  the  refinements 
of  science  and  the  divisions  of  labor  relieve 
the  family  from  many  of  its  old  necessities. 
The  average  household  must  needs  then  keep 
itself  up  in  a self-contained  establishment.  It 
killed  its  own  pork  and  beef ; cured  its  own 


DOMESTIC  CONCERNS . 


8i 


hams  ; raised  its  own  poultry ; made  its  own  but- 
ter and  cheese ; dipped  its  own  candles  ; did  its 
own  baking,  of  course  ; spun  its  own  yarn  ; wove 
more  or  less  of  its  own  cloth  ; cut  and  made  its 
own  garments  ; “ made  and  laid  ” its  own  car- 
pets, when  it  had  any ; did  much  of  its  own 
tinkering  ; often  cobbled  its  own  shoes  ; doc- 
tored itself,  except  in  critical  cases  ; instructed 
itself,  up  to  a certain  point ; amused  itself  with 
such  things  as  it  had  : in  short,  centred  its 
life  about  its  home,  and  not  about  “ society.” 
All  these  necessities  and  habits  consequently 
imparted  to  domestic  scenes  and  experience  a 
peculiar  fulness  and  picturesqueness.  Yet  it 
was,  after  all,  a very  simple  and  easy  life,  un- 
vexed by  much  of  the  form  and  fuss  insepa- 
rable from  “ modern  conveniences.” 

It  would  be  pleasant  to  examine  in  detail 
a few  out  of  the  many  grand  establishments 
which  were  to  be  found  in  different  parts  of 
the  country  a hundred  years  ago.  Not  so  fre- 
quent in  New  England,  the  central  and  south- 
ern portions  of  the  country  were  yet  full  of 
them.  The  colonial  governors  often  lived  in 
almost  princely  state;  and  the  palaces”  of 
6 


82 


REVOLUTIONARY  TIMES . 


Governor  Dunmore  of  Virginia  and  Governor 
Tryon  of  North  Carolina  are  conspicuous  ob- 
jects in  the  landscape.  There  was  Sir  William 
Johnston’s  “ Hall,”  near  the  present  village  of 
Johnstown,  N.Y,  set  down  as  the  finest 
mansion  in  the  province  outside  the  city  of 
New  York,  at  the  time  of  its  erection  in  1760, 
or  thereabouts.  And  there  were  fine  old 
manor-houses  about  Baltimore,  through  New 
Jersey,  and  along  the  Hudson,  any  one  of 
which  might  detain  us  to  our  interest  for  an 
almost  indefinite  time.  But  it  may  be  more 
to  the  reader’s  satisfaction  to  direct  his  atten- 
tion to  one  of  the  average  houses  of  the  people 
and  to  the  every-day  life  of  an  ordinary  home. 

Of  architecture,  let  it  still  be  remembered, 
there  was  little  or  none.  The  house  was  built 
simply  and  substantially,  for  use  and  not  for 
display.  The  timbers  were  so  large  and  so 
sound,  that  even  the  wear  and  tear  of  a 
hundred  years  have  often  left  them  unim- 
paired. Bricks-  were  often  imported  from 
England.  Windows  were  small,  and  the 
panes  diminutive  ; 6 X 8,  7 X 9,  and  8 X 10, 
being  the  common  sizes  of  French  window- 


DOMESTIC  CONCERNS. 


83 


glass  advertised  for  sale.  The  house  was 
generally  square,  the  walls  of  exceeding  thick- 
ness ; the  chimney  rose  massive  and  capacious 
in  the  centre ; the  interior  walls  were  pan- 
elled ; and  the  great  oaken  beams  crossed  the 
ceiling  in  plain  sight.  The  centre  of  the 
house,  and  of  the  family  life  which  it  shel- 
tered, was  the  open  wood  fire,  which  blazed- 
cheerfully  in  the  huge  fire-place  of  the  living- 
room.  Stoves  were  unknown  ; and  no  furnace 
sent  its  currents  of  over-heated  air  to  hall  and 
chamber.  Cooking  was  done  in  “ tin  kitch- 
ens,” or  on  turn-spits,  placed  before  the  fire, 
or  in  pots  hung  by  links  and  hooks  from  the 
swinging  crane,  or  in  the  great  brick  oven 
which  the  chimney-work  included  on  one  side. 
The  floor  was  bare,  save  the  home-made  rug 
or  two  in  which  the  frugal  housewife  utilized 
her  woollen  rags.  The  tallow  dip  cast  its  dim 
light  over  the  low-browed  room.  The  tall 
clock  ticked  away  in  the  corner,  and  the 
spinning  wheel  and  hand-loom  added  their 
buzz  and  racket  to  the  sum  of  the  domestic 
sounds.  The  day  began  early  and  ended 
early.  The  morning  chores  required  prompt 


84 


REVOLUTIONARY  TIMES . 


attention;  and  at  night,  after  the  armful  of 
wood  had  been  brought  from  the  shed,  and  the 
pail  of  water  from  the  well  in  the  yard,  there 
was  little  to  be  done,  and  bed  had  no  com- 
petitors. 

In  one  of  our  present  New  England  papers,* 
a writer  who  calls  herself  “ Kathleen/’  and 
whose  memory  carries  her  far  back  towards 
the  times  which  we  are  reviewing,  has  given 
us  this  picture  of  the  interior  of  an  old- 
fashioned  kitchen  : — 

It  was  a cheery,  tidy  room,  with  its  open  fire  and 
numerous  bake-kettles  in  and  about  it ; tall  dresser, 
with  the  long  rows  of  plates  and  platters,  and  rack 
of  spoons,  that  I am  sure  were  far  above  my  reach. 
Skillet  and  warming-pan  hung  near  the  fire  ; the  one 
flat-iron,  tea-pot,  and  various  other  utensils  hung  upon 
pins  or  spikes  driven  in  the  chimney.  Articles  of 
clothing  decorated  the  poles  over  head,  while  upon 
the  side  of  a beam  hung  the  trusty  Queen’s  arm.  To 
complete  the  picture  was  the  mistress  of  the  mansion, 
a woman  in  short  gown  and  petticoat,  kerchief  over 
her  shoulders,  and  a cap  whose  wide  frill  half  covered 
her  face.  . . . Think  of  a slight,  delicate  girl,  of  these 
days,  hanging  a huge  kettle  on  the  crane,  preparatory 


* The  Vermont  Watchman. 


DOMESTIC  CONCERNS. 


85 


to  cooking  a dinner  or  boiling  the  clothes.  An  odd 
sight,  I fancy,  it  would  be  to  see  us  flourishing  the 
long-handled  shovel  or  oven-broom  while  heating  the 
brick  oven  for  one  of  those  bakings  of  brown-bread, 
beans,  puddings,  and  pies.  I am  afraid  our  food  would 
sometimes  be  over-done  while  we  were  learning  the 
amount  of  fuel  requisite.  When  dinner  was  over,  the 
floor  nicely  swept,  — not  with  a light  corn-broom,  how- 
ever, — imagine  our  finishing  the  day’s  work  of  spin- 
ning, or  entering  the  loom  and  banging  away  for  hours 
at  a piece  of  checked  flannel  for  winter  wear,  or  some 
of  those  nice  linen  table-cloths  that  our  grandmas 
used  to  make  when  they  were  girls  like  us.  It  seems 
to  me  that  there  was  no  place  for  delicate  girls  or 
invalids  in  those  days. 

Children  had  a somewhat  different  place  in 
the  old  social  economy  from  that  which  they 
enjoy  to-day.  They  did  their  full  share  of 
the  domestic  work,  and  found  their  recreation 
in  sports  of  very  rude  description.  They 
looked  up  to,  and  not  down  upon,  their 
parents ; stood  in  wholesome  awe  of  domes- 
tic law  and  authority ; walked  softly  before 
the  parish  minister  ; and,  in  general,  demeaned 
themselves  in  a way  which  would  be  one  of 
the  greatest  of  centennial  curiosities,  could  it 
be  reproduced  in  facsimile.  A visit  from  the 


86 


REVOLUTIONARY  TIMES . 


minister  was  the  signal  for  a catechetical  ex- 
ercise, to  which  the  young  folks  looked  for- 
f ward  as  their  chief  end.  And  on  the  Sabbath 
their  natural  and  innocent  activities  encoun- 
tered stern  repression. 

In  the  customs  of  courtship  and  marriage, 
there  was  much  that  was  quaint,  not  to  say 
amusing,  when  viewed  in  the  light  of  the 
present  day.  Many  anecdotes  have  come 
down  very  pleasantly  illustrative  of  this  phase 
of  life  and  manners.  Thus,  it  is  related  * of 
Gov.  Matthew  Griswold,  of  Connecticut,  that, 
having  fallen  in  love  with  his  second  cousin, 
Ursula  Wolcott,  he  had  neither  the  courage 
nor  the  resolution  to  declare  himself,  nor  yet 
the  skill  to  conceal  the  fact  of  his  affection. 
The  young  lady,  who  seems  to  have  returned 
his  passion,  was  provoked  by  his  procrastina- 
tion. Meeting  him  at  last  on  the  stairs  one 
day,  she  determined,  if  she  could,  to  bring 
matters  to  a pass. 

“ What  did  you  say,  Cousin  Matthew  ? ” she 
asked. 

“ I did  not  say  any  thing,”  was  his  reply. 

* Harper’s  Magazine,  February,  1876,  p.  323. 


DOMESTIC  CONCERNS \ 


87 


A few  days  after,  meeting  him  again,  she 
repeated  the  question  in  the  same  way,  and 
got  only  a similar  answer.  Once  again  she 
met  him,  and  asked : “ What  did  you  say, 
Cousin  Matthew  ? ” And  once  again  he  re- 
plied : “ I did  not  say  any  thing.”  “ It  is  time 
you  did  ! ” she  then  desperately  responded  ; 
and  so  the  ice  was  broken.  The  wedding 
followed  in  due  time. 

A story  of  similar  spirit  is  on  record  of  a 
young  woman  of  Dr.  Emmons's  parish,  who 
accepted  an  offer  of  marriage,  on  the  one  con- 
dition that  her  suitor  should  engage  to  attend 
the  Quarterly  Lecture. 

Thus  reads  a marriage  notice  in  the  “ New 
England  Chronicle,”  of  Aug.  8,  1776  : — 

Married]  at  Portfmouth  Mr.  Benjamin  Dearborn, 
Printer,  to  Mrs.  Lydia  Hooper ; — a Lady  highly 
qualified  in  every  Refpedl  for  rendering  the  Marriage 
State  agreeable  and  happy. 

Would  the  reader  like  to  see  the  wedding 
notice  of  John  Hancock  and  Dorothy  Quincy? 
Here  it  is  as  it  appeared  in  the  “ New  York 
Gazette,”  Sept.  4,  1775  : — 

This  evening  was  married,  at  the  feat  of  Thaddeus 
Burr,  Efq.,  at  Fairfield,  Connecticut,  by  the  Reverend 


88 


REVOLUTIONARY  TIMES . 


Mr.  Elliot,  the  Hon.  John  Hancock,  Efq.,  Prefident 
of  the  Continental  Congrefs,  to  Mifs  Dorothy  Quincy, 
daughter  of  Edmund  Quincy,  Efq.,  of  Bofton.  Florus 
informs  us  that  “ in  the  fecond  Punic  war,  when  Han- 
nibal befieged  Rome  and  was  very  near  making  him- 
felf  matter  of  it,  a field  upon  which  part  of  his  army 
lay,  was  ottered  for  fale,  and  was  immediately  pur- 
chafed  by  a Roman,  in  a ftrong  afturance  that  the 
Roman  valor  and  courage  would  foon  raife  the  liege.” 
Equal  to  the  condudl  of  that  illuttrious  citizen  was 
the  marriage  of  the  Honorable  John  Hancock,  Efq., 
who  with  his  amiable  lady,  has  paid  as  great  a com- 
pliment to  American  valor,  and  difcovered  equal  patri- 
otifm,  by  marrying  now  while  all  the  colonies  are  as 
much  convulfed  as  Rome  when  Hannibal  was  at  her 
gates. 

Not  only  weddings,  but  births,  deaths,  and 
even  baptisms,  were  taken  account  of  in  the 
public  press,  and  after  a fashion  which  looks 
similarly  strange.  Here  is  a specimen  an- 
nouncement from  the  “ Boston  Gazette,”  Feb. 
22,  1773  ‘ — 

Burials  in  the  Town  of  Bofton  fince  our  laft,  Ten 
Whites,  one  Black. 

Baptiz’d  in  the  feveral  Churches  Five. 

Funerals  touched  weddings  at  the  point  of 
feasting,  and  were  often  very  expensive,  showy, 


DOMESTIC  CONCERNS . 


89 


and  pompous  occasions.  In  some  parts  of  the 
country,  especially  among  the  Dutch  of  Long 
Island  and  New  York,  it  was  the  custom  for 
a young  man  to  lay  by  his  earnings  after 
coming  of  age,  until  a sufficient  sum  had 
accumulated  to  provide  for  him  a “ respect- 
able ” funeral  when  he  should  come  to  die. 
Oftentimes  the  young  burgher  would  reserve 
half  of  the  portion  of  wine  which  he  had 
liberally  laid  in  for  his  marriage,  to  be  used 
at  the  funeral  of  himself  or  his  wife.  Special 
invitations  were  sent  out  for  funerals  as  for 
parties.  The  clergymen,  pall-bearers,  and 
physicians  attending,  were  provided  with 
scarfs  and  gloves,  and  sometimes  each  with 
a mourning  ring  ; while  the  feast  which  fol- 
lowed the  interment  at  the  house  of  the 
relatives  of  the  deceased,  elaborate  with 
cold  roast  meats,  wines,  liquors,  and  pipes, 
was  not  unfrequently  an  occasion  of  coarse 
excesses,  sometimes  descending  into  hilarious 
and  noisy  demonstrations.  A “ respectable  ” 
funeral  of  this  description  might  cost  perhaps 
a thousand  dollars  ; while  the  funeral  of  the 
first  wife  of  Hon.  Stephen  Van  Rensselaer  is 


90 


REVOLUTIONARY  TIMES . 


said  to  have  cost  not  less  than  twenty  thou- 
sand dollars. 

We  cannot  give  a better  idea  of  what  con- 
stituted a modest  household  and  personal 
outfit  in  New  England  at  this  time  than  by 
copying  an  inventory,  showing  the  division  of 
a personal  estate  between  the  several  mem- 
bers of  a certain  New  Hampshire  family. 
The  original  document  from  which  it  is 
printed  is  one  the  like  of  which  could  proba- 
bly be  drawn  out  from  a great  many  chests 
of  old  papers  ; but  just  because  it  is  com- 
monplace is  it  all  the  more  useful  for  our 
purpose.  It  is  here  printed  verbatim. 

WEARING  APPAREL 

JOSEPH 


Blew  Great  coat £i.  10 

blk.  lasting  Jacket 4.  6 

baize  jacot 2.  6 

* breeches  & buckles 2. 

Hatts,  furr 10 

shirt 2 

shoes 1 

Wigg 4 


£2.  12.  4 

* The  word  is  illegible  in  the  manuscript. 


DOMESTIC  CONCERNS.  9 1 


JACOB 

Baize  Gown £.  io. 

Camblet  Coat io 

blk.  Jacoat 15 

blk.  lasting  breeches 2. 

Shirt 2. 

Shirt 1.  6 

2 caps 1.  6 

Hatt 2. 

pr-  Stockings  26 

sleeve  buttons 2 

pr.  mitts 8 

Thimble 

Gloves  1 


£2  12  4 

Nathaniel 

old  great  Coat £.  8 

Blew  coat 18 

brown  Jacoat 9 

brown  briches 5 

shirt 2 

shirt 16 

lining  Handchif 12 

Silk  Handchif 2. 

pr.  Stockings 2.  6 

pr.  blk.  Hose 1 

Snuff  Box 2 

wig I 

towards  Gloves 1 


£2  12  4 


92 


REVOLUTIONARY  TIMES . 


So  much  for  the  division  of  the  wardrobe 
among  the  three  sons.  Now  for  the  similar 
division  of  the  household  furniture  between 
the  three  daughters  : 


Bathsheba 

Bedstead 

Chest 

wig  box 

Candle  stick 

M 

Bed  Tick 

Blanket 

Coverlid 

1 sheet  

2 pillow  cases 

i Spoon  , 

i Knife  & fork 

chair  Banister 

cash  in  Will 


Hannah 

i Bed 

Great  Chair 

i sheat  

Knife  & fork 

& Spoon  . i 


£2.  9 

£*•  1 ° 

4 
3 

8 

34 


£i-  8 ii* 


DOMESTIC  CONCERNS. 


93 


Rebecka 


Bed  cord £o  28 

fire  shovel  & tongs 3 

Hand  Irons 16  i\ 

Bellows 18 

2 pillows . 6 

1 Bolster 16 

1 Sheat 6 8 

1 pr.  Pillow  cases 2 

3 pint  Bason 2 

1 Knive  & fork 8 

a spoon 31 

£2  2 71 


Acct.  of  articles  not  divided. 
a pair  of  knee  buckels. 
a pair  of  Garters. 

a book  The  Hosannahs  of  Children, 
a Funeral  Sermon. 

People  “ lived  well  ” a hundred  years  ago, 
their  generally  simple  tastes  being  capable  of 
easy  and  abundant  satisfaction.  Succotash 
was  a favorite  common  food  ; and  the  bill  of 
fare  of  a gentleman's  dinner  in  Falmouth  in 
1774,  recorded  by  John  Adams,  included 
these  items  : “ Salt-fish  and  all  its  apparatus, 
roast  chickens,  bacon,  pease,  as  fine  a salad  as 


94 


REVOLUTIONARY  TIMES. 


ever  was  made,  and  a rich  meat  pie.  Tarts 
and  custards,  etc.,  good  wine  and  as  good 
punch  as  ever  you  made.”  There  were  times 
and  places,  it  is  true,  when  and  where  a 
scarcity  of  good  provisions  was  felt ; and 
there  was  an  especial  pinch  in  the  commodity 
of  tea,  of  which  many  patriotic  people  denied 
themselves  altogether,  and  others  bought  only 
sparingly  at  large  prices.  “ We  are  all  learn- 
ing economy,”  wrote  Franklin  from  Philadel- 
phia in  1775.  “ Instead  of  half-a-dozen 

courses  to  dinner,  gentlemen  content  them- 
selves with  two.” 

Prices  generally  felt  the  pressure  of  the 
times ; and  their  attempted  regulation  by 
authority  was  only  partially  successful.  An 
item  suggestive  on  this  point  is  the  following 
from  the  “ Essex  Gazette  ” of  April  25 — May  2 , 
1775  : — 

ASSIZE  OF  BREAD  IN  SALEM,  March  1,  1775. 
2-3ds,  of  a Penny  white  loaf  . . . o lb.  4 02.  10  d. 


a Penny  white  Loaf o 6 15 

a Two-penny  ditto o 13  14 

A Four-penny  ditto 1 n 12 


DOMESTIC  CONCERNS. 


95 


In  the  town  records  of  Farmington,  Conn., 
under  date  of  Jan.  30,  1775,  appears  this 
minute  of  a Committee  of  Inspection  previ- 
ously appointed : * — 

Voted  that  Mr.  James  Persaville,  Merchant  of  this 
Town,  having  bought  and  sold  Goods  higher  than 
usual  by  his  own  Confession,  has  been  guilty  of  a vio- 
lation of  ye  Association. 

That  this  Committee  do  upon  a Confession  made, 
and  promise  of  Amendment  by  said  Percival  for  his 
Fault  in  purchasing  and  selling  sundry  articles  of  Eng- 
lish Goods  at  higher  prices  than  is  consistent  with  ye 
true  sense  of  ye  Association,  and  upon  his  promising 
as  far  as  he  can  to  deposit  ye  surplussage  of  ye  money 
over  and  above  what  they  would  have  amounted  to  if 
sold  at  his  usual  Prices  into  ye  Hands  of  such  Person 
or  Persons  as  shall  by  this  Committee  be  appointed  to 
receive  ye  same  to  be  appropriated  to  ye  use  of  ye 
Poor  of  ye  Town  of  Boston,  and  upon  such  Confes- 
sion and  Retraction  being  made  public  restore  sd 
Percival  to  full  and  compleat  Charity. 

That  if  it  has  already  or  in  time  to  come  may  hap- 
pen that  any  Person  or  Persons,  Inhabitants  of  any  of 
ye  neighbouring  Towns  have  refused  or  shall  refuse 
to  acceed  to  or  in  any  Way  or  Manner  violate  ye  do- 
ings of  ye  Continental  Congress,  it  shall  be  ye  duty  of 
ye  Inhabitants  of  this  Town  to  withdraw  all  kinds  of 

* History  of  Southington,  p.  525. 


96 


REVOLUTIONARY  TIMES. 


connexion  from  such  Person  or  Persons,  and  as  Mem- 
bers of  this  Committee  we  will  use  our  best  Endeav- 
ours that  ye  Inhabitants  punctually  adhere  to  this  vote 
and  practice  accordingly. 

That  it  is  highly  important  that  all  Venders  of 
Goods  and  Merchandize  they  have  either  disposed  of 
since  ye  1st  day  of  December  1773,  or  have  now  on 
hand,  with  their  Number  or  other  marks  whereby 
said  articles  or  any  of  them  have  been  usually  rank’d 
or  distinguished,  together  with  ye  Prices  they  have 
sold  them  at  for  ready  Pay  and  their  usual  Advance 
for  Credit  since  1st  day  of  December  1773,  or  do  now 
sell  them,  and  also  ye  Names  of  ye  Persons  any  of 
such  Goods  or  Merchandize  have  been  purchased  of 
since  ye  first  day  of  December,  1774,  to  ye  Intent  they 
may  be  in  the  most  effectual  Manner  prevented  sell- 
ing such  Goods  or  Merchandize  hereafter  at  higher 
Prices  than  they  have  been  accustomed  to  since  ye 
above  mentioned  1st  day  of  December  1773  Contrary 
to  ye  Association  of  ye  Continental  Congress,  or  if 
they  should  that  they  may  be  detected  and  brought 
to  condign  Punishment. 

That  all  Venders  of  Goods  or  Merchandize  within 
this  Town  shall  hereafter  each  for  himself  render  a 
particular  Account  to  three  or  more  of  this  Committee 
being  present  to  take  such  Account  of  every  article  of 
such  Goods  or  Merchandize  as  shall  be  purchased  by 
them  and  brought  into  this  Town  with  their  numbers 
or  other  Marks  of  Distinction,  and  likewise  of  ye 
Place  where  and  ye  Persons  of  whose  said  Goods  or 


DOMESTIC  CONCERNS. 


97 


Merchandize  were  purchased  before  any  of  ye  Pack-* 
ages  thereof  are  broken,  and  it  is  expected  ye  Pur- 
chaser upon  ye  Receipt  of  any  such  Goods  or  Mer- 
chandize will  notify  three  or  more  as  aforesaid  of  this 
Committee  to  be  present  to  take  such  account  of  ye 
true  Intent  and  Meaning  of  this  Vote. 

In  Boston,  under  date  of  April  14,  1 777, 
the  Selectmen  and  Committee  of  Correspond- 
ence of  the  town,  acting  under  legislative 
authority,  published  the  following  schedule 
of  prices  : * — 

COD  Fifh  and  Haddock,  guts  and  gills  in,  One 
Penny-out,  Two  Pence  per  Pound. 

Tom  Cod  and  Flounders,  One  Penny  half-penny 
per  Pound.  Hallaboat  Three  Pence  per  lb.  Eels 
fkin’d  and  gutted,  Three  Pence  per  Pound. 

Carting  Wood  from  Wharves  to  the  Buyer’s  Houfe, 
including  every  expence  but  the  Firft  Coft,  in  confid- 
eration  of  the  Wharfingers  retailing  in  fmall  Quantities, 
Five  Shillings  per  Cord. 

Trucking  a tingle  Hogfheads,  Two  Shillings. 
Tierces  in  proportion. 

Trucking  Barrels,  a Load,  3 to  a Load,  Four 
Shillings. 

Carting  or  Trucking  Merchandize,  not  included 
in  Cafks,  Four  Shillings  per  Ton,  and  in  proportion 
for  a Quarter  of  a Ton. 

* The  New  England  Chronicle. 

7 


98 


REVOLUTIONARY  TIMES. 


Men’s  belt  made  Calf-tkin  Shoes  not  to  exceed 
Twelve  Shillings  a Pair. 

Boy’s  ditto  in  a juft  proportion. 

Women’s  Leather  Shoes,  Six  Shillings  per  Pair. 

Women’s  Cloth  Shoes,  Eight  Shillings  per  Pair. 

Men’s  beft  Beaver  Hats,  Forty-eight  Shillings  a 
Piece. 

Soap,  good  Merchantable,  deliver’d  at  the  Houfe 
of  the  Purchafer,  Twenty  Shillings  per  Barrel  and  one 
Penny  three  Farthings  per  Angle  Pound. 

Tallow  dip?d  Candles,  Nine  Pence  per  the  Box  and 
Ten  Pence  a tingle  Pound. 

Salt  and  Meadow  Hay,  Two  Shillings  per  Hundred. 

Rice,  Thirty  Shillings  per  Hundred,  Eight  and  Six 
Pence  per  Quarter,  and  Four  Pence  per  Pound. 

Loaf  Sugar,  One  Shilling  and  Six  Pence  per  the 
Quantity  or  tingle  Loaf. 

Vinegar,  One  Shilling  per  Gallon. 

Onions,  Eight  Pence  per  Half  Peck,  Fourteen 
Pence  per  Peck,  Two  Shillings  per  Half  Buthel,  and 
Four  Shillings  per  Buthel. 

Carrots,  Four  Pence  per  Half  Peck,  Seven  Pence 
per  Peck,  One  Shilling  per  Half  Buthel,  and  Two 
Shillings  per  Bufhel.  « 

Parfnips,  Eight  Pence  per  Half  Peck,  Fourteen 
Pence  per  Peck,  Two  Shillings  per  Half  Buthel,  and 
Four  Shillings  per  Buthel. 

Turnips,  Three  Pence  per  Half  Peck,  Five  Pence 
per  Peck,  Nine  Pence  per  Half  Buthel,  and  One  Shil- 
ling and  Six  Pence  per  Buthel. 


DOMESTIC  CONCERNS . 99 


Potatoes,  Four  Pence  per  Half  Peck,  Seven  Pence 
per  Peck,  One  Shilling  per  Half  Bufhel,  and  Two 
Shillings  per  Bufhel. 

Eggs,  Nine  Pence  per  Dozen. 

Merchantable  Hogfhead  Hoops  to  be  furvey’d, 
Fourteen  Foot  long,  at  Twelve  Shillings  per  Hundred. 

Ditto  fhorter  than  Eleven  Foot,  Nine  Shillings  ; 
Twelve  Foot,  Ten  Shillings. 

Ditto  Barrel  Hoops  to  be  furvey’d,  Nine  Foot  long, 
Six  Shillings  per  Hundred. 

Ditto  fhorter  than  Nine  Foot  in  proportion. 

Red  Oak  Hogfhead  Staves,  Three  Pounds  per 
Thoufand. 

White  Oak  Ditto,  Six  Pounds  per  Thoufand. 

Red  Oak  Barrel  Staves,  One  Pound  Eight  Shil- 
lings per  Thoufand. 

Clear  Try’d  Hogs  Fat,  Six  Pence  for  any  Quantity 
and  Eight  Pence  by  the  fingle  Pound. 

Merchantable  Boards  by  Retail,  Three  Pounds  per 
Thoufand. 

Clear  feafon’d  Boards,  Three  Pounds  Twelve  Shil- 
lings per  Thoufand. 

Good  Cyder  clear  drawn  from  the  Lees,  with  the 
Barrel,  Twenty  Shillings,  and  without  Seventeen 
Shillings. 

All  Cord  Wood  from  the  Country,  befides  Oak  and 
Walnut,  to  the  Buyer  Home,  Twenty-fix  Shillings  per 
Cord. 


In  Philadelphia,  in  August  of  the  same  year, 


IOO 


REVOLUTIONARY  TIMES. 


prices  were  thus  reported  by  John  Adams  in 
one  of  his  letters  to  his  wife  : * — 

“ Prices  current,  Four  pounds  a week  for  board, 
besides  finding  your  own  washing,  shaving,  candles, 
liquors,  pipes,  tobacco,  wood,  etc.  Thirty  shillings 
a week  for  a servant.  It  ought  to  be  thirty  shillings 
for  a gentleman  and  four  pounds  for  the  servant,  be- 
cause he  generally  eats  twice  as  much  and  makes  twice 
as  much  trouble.  Shoes,  five  dollars  a pair.  Salt, 
twenty-seven  dollars  a bushel.  Butter,  ten  shillings  a 
pound.  Punch,  twenty  shillings  a bowl.” 

The  money  system  of  the  country,  it  should 
be  remembered,  was  in  a mixed  condition. 
Not  only  was  the  English  currency  in  use, 
but  the  colonies,  and,  later,  the  Continental 
Congress,  had  issued  their  paper  notes  of 
divers  sorts.  Fractional  parts  of  a dollar 
were  in  circulation  then  as  now.  To  a con- 
siderable extent  all  this  paper  money  was 
counterfeited  by  the  enemy,  with  the  object 
of  helping  forward  the  work  of  subjugation, 
and  it  further  suffered  constant  and  enormous 
depreciation  ; how  great  may  appear  from  the 
following  notice  in  the  “New  York  Gazette/’ 
of  October  28  : — 

* Familiar  Letters,  p.  301. 


DOMESTIC  CONCERNS. 


IOI 


Wanted  by  a gentleman  fond  of  curiofities,  who  is 
fhortly  going  to  England,  a parcel  of  Congrefs  Notes, 
with  which  he  intends  to  paper  fome  rooms.  Thofe 
who  with  to  make  fomething  of  their  flock  in  that 
commodity,  fhall,  if  they  are  clean  and  fit  for  the  pur- 
pofe,  receive  at  the  rate  of  one  guinea  per  thoufand 
for  all  they  can  bring  before  the  expiration  of  the  pref- 
ent  month.  Inquire  of  the  printer.  N.  B.  — It  is 
expected  they  will  be  much  lower. 


102 


REVOLUTIONARY  TIMES. 


VI. 

EDUCATION. 

At  hardly  any  point  does  the  America 
of  1776  present  a stronger  contrast  to  the 
America  of  1876,  than  in  respect  to  schools 
and  education.  There  were  colleges  then, 
it  is  true ; but  only  nine  of  them,  and  only 
five  that  could  be  said  to  be  in  established 
and  successful  operation.  The  academies 
and  higher  seminaries  with  which  the  land 
is  now  so  thickly  studded  were  then  al- 
most absolutely  unknown.  The  necessity  for 
schools  preparatory  to  the  college  course  had 
not  begun  to  be  felt,  and  of  professional  schools 
there  was  a corresponding  scarcity.  There 
was,  however,  a medical  school  in  successful 
operation  in  Philadelphia,  the  eminent  Dr. 
Benjamin  Rush  being  one  of  its  three  pro- 
fessors. For  the  higher  education  of  women 
almost  no  facilities  existed.  There  was  even 


EDUCATION. 


103 


a prejudice  against  it,  which  had  yet  to  be 
dispelled. 

The  nine  colleges  above  alluded  to,  with 
the  dates  of  their  foundation,  were  as  fol- 
lows : — 


Harvard,  Cambridge,  Mass 1638 

William  and  Mary,  Williamsburg,  Va.  . . . 1693 

Yale,  New  Haven,  Conn 1700 

College  of  New  Jersey,  Princeton 1748 

Columbia,  New  York 175 4 

Brown  University,  Providence,  R.1 1765 

Dartmouth,  Hanover,  N.H 1770 

Rutgers,  New  Brunswick,  N.J 1771 


Hampden  Sidney,  Hampden  Sidney,  Va.  . . 1775 

Of  these  nine,  the  only  five  that  were  at 
this  time  really  worthy  of  their  name,  as  be- 
ing contributive  to  the  intellectual  life  of  the 
people,  were  Harvard,  William  and  Mary, 
Yale,  Princeton,  and  Columbia.  The  foun- 
dations of  Dartmouth  had  just  been  laid  in 
the  midst  of  the  woods,  and  amongst  a pioneer 
population  ; with  log  houses  for  its  first  build- 
ings, and  four  miles  of  desolate  travel  to  the 
nearest  human  habitation.  Yet  in  1773  Dart- 
mouth counted  its  six  graduates,  and  conferred 


104 


REVOLUTIONARY  TIMES . 


nineteen  honorary  degrees  ! A graphic  pict- 
ure of  what  college  life  meant  and  cost  under 
these  circumstances  is  supplied  in  the  follow- 
ing paragraph  of  reminiscence,  the  reader 
merely  needing  to  know  in  explanation  that 
the  mill  referred  to  was  one  of  the  neces- 
sary appurtenances  of  this  “college”  in  the 
woods : * — 

The  mill  man,  Osborn,  wrote  to  Joseph  Vaill,  a 
young  man  of  Litchfield,  to  come  up  to  Hanover  “ to 
obtain  a college  education,  by  helping  him  tend  the 
mills;”  and  Mr.  Vaill  tells  us  how  he  answered  the 
call.  He  says  he  “started  September  28,  1772,  with 
three  others,  with  packs  on  their  backs,  with  an  axe 
and  one  horse,  to  find  their  way,  as  best  they  might, 
180  miles  to  the  college  saw-mill.  We  found  the  mills 
down  in  the  woods,  where  the  howling  of  wild  beasts 
and  the  plaintive  notes  of  the  owl  added  to  the  gloomi- 
ness of  the  night  season.  We  made  ourselves  bunks 
and  filled  them  with  straw,  did  our  own  cooking  and 
washing,”  and,  if  you  can  believe  it,  they  took  in  a 
boarder ! The  price  paid  for  sawing  and  sticking 
boards  was  one  dollar  a thousand,  and  half  the  toll 
for  grinding.  Upon  this  income  we  were  ourselves  to 
live  and  offset  the  board  of  Sophomore  Osborn,  one 
of  the  brothers,  who  became  our  teacher  to  fit  us  for 
college,  and  whose  compensation  was  cancelled  by  his 

* The  First  Half  Century  of  Dartmouth  College,  pp.  31,  32. 


EDUCA  TION. 


IOS 


boarding  with  us.  We  were  two  years  fitting.  One 
of  our  number  died  and  another  returned  home  ; but 
two  others  came  on  and  filled  their  places,  “so  that 
the  mill  work,  the  boarding-house,  and  Sophomore 
Osborn’s  support  should  not  fail.  Mr.  Vaill  entered 
college,  and  says  he  studied  in  his  cold  home  with 
pine  knots  for  light,  walked  four  miles  a day  to  his 
recitations,  facing  a north-west  wind,  and  often  break- 
ing his  own  path  in  the  new  snows.  It  is  marvellous 
I did  not  freeze,  as  I was  thinly  clad.” 

Humorous  as  is  the  thought  of  a shower  of 
honorary  degrees  bursting  upon  such  a land- 
scape, there  appears,  perhaps  by  contrast,  a 
singular  stateliness  and  propriety  in  a corre- 
sponding act  of  “ old  ” Harvard,  then  entitled 
to  that  epithet  by  reason  of  its  already  honor- 
able age  of  nearly  one  hundred  and  forty 
years  ; which  college,  on  the  third  day  of 
April,  1776,  promulgated  in  sonorous  Latin  the 
decree  of  its  Corporation,  whereby  General 
George  Washington,  on  the  very  day  before 
his  departure  from  Cambridge  to  New  York, 
was  invested  with  its  “ highest  honor ; ” namely, 
the  degree  of  Doctor  of  Laws.  The  document 
was  published  in  full,  both  in  Latin  and  in 
English,  in  the  leading  columns  of  the  “ New 


io6 


REVOLUTIONARY  TIMES . 


England  Chronicle/ ” of  April  25,  following; 
from  a stained  and  niusty  copy  of  which  it  is 
here  reproduced  to  the  eye  of  the  curious  and 
reverent  reader  : — 

THE  CORPORATION  of  HARVARD  COLLEGE 
in  Cambridge,  in  New  England,  to  all  the  Faithful 
in  Chrift,  to  whom  thefe  Prefents  fhall  come, 
GREETING. 

TI  THERE  AS  Academical  Degrees  were  originally 
* * inftituted  for  this  Purpofe  That  Men,  eminent 
for  Knowledge,  Wifdom  and  Virtue,  who  have  highly 
merited  of  the  Republick  of  Letters  and  the  Common- 
Wealth,  fhould  be  rewarded  with  the  Honor  of  thefe 
Laurels  ; there  is  the  greateft  Propriety  in  Conferring 
fuch  Honor  on  that  very  illuftrious  Gentleman, 
GEORGE  WASHINGTON,  Efq  ; the  accomplifhed 
General  of  the  Confederated  Colonies  in  America; 
whofe  Knowledge  and  patriotic  Ardor  are  manifeft  to 
all : Who,  for  his  diltinguifhed  Virtue,  both  Civil  and 
Military,  in  the  firft  Place,  being  eledled  by  the  Suf- 
frages of  the  Virginians,  one  of  their  Delegates,  exerted 
himfelf  with  Fidelity  and  lingular  Wifdom  in  the  cele- 
brated Congrefs  of  America,  for  the  Defence  of 
Liberty,  when  in  the  utmoft  Danger  of  being  for  ever 
loft,  and  for  the  Salvation  of  his  Country ; and  then, 
at  the  earned  Requeft  of  that  Grand  Council  of 
Patriots,  without  Hefttation,  left  all  the  Pleafures  of 


ED  C/C  A TION. 


107 


his  delightful  Seat  in  Virginia,  and  the  Affairs  of  his 
own  Eftate,  that  through  all  the  Fatigues  and  Dangers 
of  a Camp,  without  accepting  any  Reward,  he  might 
deliver  New  England  from  the  unjuft  and  cruel  Arms 
of  Britain,  and  defend  the  other  Colonies  ; and  Who, 
by  the  moft  ftgnal  Smiles  of  Divine  Providence  on  his 
Military  Operations,  drove  the  Fleet  and  Troops  of 
the  Enemy  with  difgraceful  Precipitation  from  the 
Town  of  Bofton,  which  for  eleven  Months  had  been 
fhut  up,  fortified,  and  defended  by  a Garrifon  of  above 
feven  Thoufand  Regulars  ; fo  that  the  Inhabitants, 
who  fuffered  a great  Variety  of  Hardfhips  and  Cruel- 
ties while  under  the  Power  of  their  Oppreffors,  now 
rejoice  in  their  Deliverance,  the  neighbouring  Towns 
are  freed  from  the  Tumults  of  Arms,  and  our  Univer- 
fity  has  the  agreeable  Profpedt  of  being  reftored  to  its 
antient  Seat. 

Know  ye  therefore,  that  We,  the  Prefident  and 
Fellows  of  Harvard  College  in  Cambridge,  (with  the 
Confent  of  the  Honoured  and  Reverend  Overfeers  of 
our  Academy)  have  conftituted  and  created  the  afore- 
faid  Gentleman,  GEORGE  WASHINGTON,  who 
merits  the  higheft  HONOR,  DOCTOR  of  LAWS, 
the  Law  of  Nature  and  Nations,  and  the  Civil  Law  ; 
and  have  given  and  granted  him  at  the  fame  Time  all 
Rights,  Privileges,  and  Honors  to  the  faid  Degree 
pertaining. 

In  Teftimony  whereof,  We  have  affixed  the  com- 
mon Seal  of  our  Univerfity  to  thefe  Letters,  and  fub- 
feribed  them  with  our  Hand  writing  this  Third  Day  of 


io8 


REVOLUTIONARY  TIMES . 


April  in  the  Year  of  our  Lord  one  Thoufand  feven 
Hundred  Seventy-fix. 

T Sigillum  1 
LCommuneJ 

SAMUEL  LANGDON,  S.T.D.  Praefes. 

NATHANIEL  APPLETON,  S.T.D. 

JOHANNES  WINTHROP,  Mat.  et  Phil.  P.  go  .. 
ANDREAS  ELIOT,  S.T.D.  (Hoi.  L L.D.  °C11‘ 
SAML.  COOPER,  S.T.D. 

JOHANNES  WADSWORTH,  Log.  et  Eth.  Pre.  The- 
faurius. 

All  the  colleges  suffered  more  or  less 
during  the  Revolution.  Harvard  was  turned 
out  of  its  quarters  in  Cambridge  in  1775,  and 
obliged  to  adjourn  temporarily  to  Concord. 
Yale  met  with  corresponding  interruptions, 
and  held  no  public  commencements  from 
1 777  1781.  Columbia’s  solitary  building 

was  appropriated  by  the  British  as  a military 
hospital ; and  the  small  but  valuable  library 
was  dispersed,  and  in  part  destroyed,  but  few 
of  the  books  ever  finding  their  way  back. 
There  were  no  graduates  from  1776  to  1784. 
Princeton  suffered  as  much  as  either  of  the 
others,  not  alone  in  the  loss  of  her  resources, 
but  in  the  interruption  of  academical  exer- 


EDUCA  ETON 


109 


cises ; the  buildings  having  been  used  as 
barracks  by  the  British.  In  the  Battle  of 
Princeton,  Nassau  Hall  was  occupied  and  de- 
fended by  them  until  they  were  driven  out  by 
the  Americans. 

The  College  of  William  and  Mary  was  the 
wealthiest  of  the  sisterhood  up  to  the  time  of 
the  Revolution  ; but  its  resources  were  then 
greatly  crippled.  Here,  in  1775,  originated 
the  fraternity  of  the  Phi  Beta  Kappa ; and 
hence  was  derived  the  chapter  at  Harvard. 
The  old  records  are  still  in  existence. 

An  examination  of  the  Continental  Con- 
gress, composed  as  it  was  of  leading  men  of 
all  the  Colonies,  affords  some  light  upon  the 
topic  of  popular  education  at  that  period. 
The  Congress,  whose  sessions  extended 
through  some  ten  years,  comprised  in  all 
some  three  hundred  and  fifty  members,  of 
whom  about  one-third  were  graduates  of  col- 
leges. A recent  writer  in  one  of  the  most 
intelligent  and  accurate  of  American  jour- 
nals * has  taken  pains  to  collect  and  array  a 
paragraph  of  important  statistics  upon  this 

* New  York  Evening  Post,  January,  1876. 


no 


REVOLUTIONARY  TIMES. 


subject,  which  we  take  leave  to  insert  here, 
though  without  verification,  that,  however,  be- 
ing hardly  necessary  for  our  present  purpose  : 

There  were  in  the  Continental  Congress  during  its 
existence  350  members;  of  these  118,  or  about  one- 
third  of  the  whole,  were  graduates  from  colleges.  Of 
these,  twenty-eight  were  graduated  from  the  College 
of  New  Jersey  in  Princeton,  twenty-three  from  Har- 
vard, twenty-three  from  Yale,  eleven  from  William 
and  Mary,  eight  from  the  University  of  Pennsylvania, 
four  from  Columbia  College,  one  from  Brown  Uni- 
versity, and  one  from  Rutgers  College,  and  twenty- 
one  were  educated  in  foreign  universities.  These  118 
graduates  were  distributed  in  the  Colonies  as  follows  : 
New  Hampshire  had  four  college  graduates  among  her 
delegates,  three  of  whom  were  graduated  from  Harvard, 
and  one  from  Princeton  ; Massachusetts  had  seven- 
teen, sixteen  of  whom  were  from  Harvard  and  one 
from  Yale;  Rhode  Island  had  four  graduates,  — two 
from  Princeton,  one  from  Harvard,  and  one  from 
Brown  University;  Connecticut  had  eighteen  grad- 
uates,— thirteen  from  Yale,  three  from  Princeton,  and 
two  from  Harvard.  New  York,  out  of  her  large  dele- 
gation, had  but  eight  graduates,  — four  from  Columbia, 
and  four  from  Yale.  New  Jersey  had  eleven  grad- 
uates,— eight  from  Princeton,  one  from  Yale,  and  one 
from  Rutgers.  Pennsylvania  had  thirteen  graduates,  — 
four  from  Princeton,  four  from  the  University  of  Penn- 


EDUCA  TION. 


Ill 


sylvania,  one  from  Yale,  and  four  educated  in  foreign 
parts.  Delaware  had  two  graduates,  both  from  Prince- 
ton. Maryland  had  seven,  — three  from  Princeton,  two 
from  the  University  of  Pennsylvania,  one  from  Wil- 
liam and  Mary,  and  one  educated  in  foreign  parts. 
Virginia  had  nineteen  graduates,  — ten  from  William 
and  Mary,  two  from  Princeton,  and  eight  educated 
in  foreign  parts.  North  Carolina  had  four  graduates,  — 
two  from  the  University  oT  Pennsylvania,  one  from 
Harvard,  and  one  educated  in  foreign  parts.  South 
Carolina  had  seven  graduates,  — two  from  Prince- 
ton, and  five  educated  in  foreign  parts.  Georgia  had 
five  graduates,  — three  from  Yale,  one  from  Prince- 
ton, and  one  educated  in  foreign  parts.  Thus  it  ap- 
pears that  Princeton  had  representatives  from  ten  of 
the  Colonies  ; Yale,  from  six  ; Harvard,  from  five  ; the 
University  of  Pennsylvania,  from  three  ; William  and 
Mary,  from  two  ; and  Columbia,  Brown,  and  Rutgers, 
from  one  each.  Fifty-six  delegates  signed  the  Decla- 
ration of  Independence.  Of  these  twenty-eight,  or  just 
one-half,  were  college  graduates. 

If  it  may  be  said  that  the  Continental  Con- 
gress was  as  fairly  a representative  body  in 
respect  to  intelligence  and  culture  as  the 
forty-fourth  Congress,  then  it  must  be  owned 
that  the  people  of  1776  were  a very  intelligent 
and  cultivated  people,  and  turned  such  school 
and  college  advantages  as  they  enjoyed  to 
good  account. 


1 12 


REVOLUTIONARY  TIMES. 


Professional  schools,  as  has  before  been 
said,  were  almost  unknown.  The  candidate 
for  the  honors  of  the  law,  the  dignities  of 
the  ministry,  and,  generally  speaking,  for  the 
toils  of  medical  practice,  was  obliged  to  pursue 
his  studies  under  private  teachers.  The  the- 
ological seminaries  of  the  time  were  simply 
families  of  students  grouped  in  the  house- 
holds of  famous  and  popular  divines.  One  of 
the  most  celebrated  of  these  came  to  be  that 
of  Rev.  Dr.  Emmons,  of  Franklin,  which  how- 
ever had  only  made  its  beginning  in  one  of 
the  years  of  the  Revolution. 

As  to  schools  of  the  common  grade,  the 
New  England  Colonies  were  in  obvious  ad- 
vance of  the  others  ; but  the  system  at  its  best 
was  such  that  occasion  offered  for  such  pub- 
lic notices  as  this,  for  example  : * — 

A Morning  school. 

“VTOUNG  Ladies,  or  young  Gentlemen,  who  have  a 
-*■  Mind  to  be  acquainted  with  the  French  Language  ; 
to  be  perfected  in  reading,  fpeaking  or  writing  the  Eng- 
lifh ; — to  be  introduced  to,  or  Compleated  in  their  Im- 
provements, in  Arithmetic,  Penmanfliip,  or  Epiftolary 

* New  England  Chronicle,  July  18,  1776. 


EDUCA  TION. 


113 


Writing,  may  be  properly  affifted  in  purfuing  either  of 
thefe  Attainments,  from  5 to  7 o’Clock  in  the  Morn- 
ing, at  the  School  on  Court  Square,  oppofite  the  Eaft 
Door  of  the  State  Houfe  ; where  Conftant  Attendance 
will  be  given,  and  the  moft  ufeful  Branches  of  Com- 
mon Education  taught  in  the  belt  approved  Manner. 

“ On  Morning  Wings , how  attive  fprings  the  Mind  /” 


8 


REVOLUTIONARY  TIMES. 


114 


VII. 

LITERATURE. 

The  period  of  the  Revolution  was  not 
greatly  productive  in  literature,  except  of  that 
special  sort  to  which  such  a conflict  and  the 
peculiar  experiences  attendant  upon  it  would 
naturally  give  rise.  Patriotism  held  the  pen, 
and  politics  and  the  incidents  of  the  war  fur- 
nished the  themes.  The  people  found  their 
solid  reading  in  such  works  of  previous  gen- 
erations and  other  lands  as  were  at  hand,  and 
the  times  witnessed  little  more  than  the  seed- 
sowing of  future  harvests. 

And  yet  there  is  a distinct  literary  tint  in 
the  many-colored  picture  of  our  country  a 
hundred  years  ago. 

In  the  first  place,  many  of  the  distinguished 
men  who  figure  on  other  accounts  in  the 
scenes  before  us  deserve  honorable  mention 
for  their  services  in  literature : Washington 
and  Jefferson,  by  their  letters  ; the  Adamses, 


LITER  A TURK. 


US 


Otis,  and  Dickinson,  by  their  pamphlets  and 
political  essays  ; Drs.  Witherspoon,  Stiles,  and 
Mayhew,  by  their  published  sermons  and  ad- 
dresses ; and,  notably,  Rev.  Dr.  Emmons,  by 
his  “more  than  7,000  copies  of  nearly  200 
sermons.”  The  state  papers  of  the  period, 
especially  of  the  years  immediately  preceding 
actual  hostilities,  have  never  been  surpassed 
before  or  since,  and  can  never  cease  to  chal- 
lenge admiration.  Francis  Hopkinson  of 
Philadelphia,  who  was  one  of  the  signers  of 
the  Declaration  of  Independence,  has  also 
this  title  to  fame,  that  he  was  the  author  of 
“ The  Battle  of  the  Kegs,”  a humorous  bal- 
lad descriptive  of  an  actual  incident,  and  one 
of  the  best-known  literary  fruits  of  the  Revo- 
lution. He  distinguished  himself  by  other 
writings,  chiefly  of  a politico-satirical  charac- 
ter, and  achieved  great  popularity  in  his  day. 
Hopkinson  was  brother-in-law  to  Rev.  Jacob 
Duche,  the  patriotic  chaplain  to  the  Congress, 
who  himself  published  some  sermons,  pam- 
phlets, and  other  small  works.  Ethan  Allen 
was  author  as  well  as  soldier,  having  written 
a telling  account  of  his  captivity  in  Canada. 


REVOLUTIONARY  TIMES. 


1 1 6 


Charles  Thompson,  for  many  years  the  sec- 
retary of  the  Continental  Congress,  was  a man 
of  literary  tastes  and  some  literary  achieve- 
ments ; the  chief  of  the  latter  being  a trans- 
lation of  the  whole  Bible,  which,  however, 
did  not  appear  until  after  the  close  of  the  war. 

Mr.  Thompson  had  for  a private  pupil  Wil- 
liam Bartram,  a son  of  John  Bartram,  and  now 
a young  man  of  about  twenty-five,  destined 
to  do  some  useful  work  as  a botanical  inves- 
tigator and  author.  While  the  war  was  in 
progress,  he  was  in  the  South,  gathering  the 
materials  for  a volume  on  the  natural  features 
of  that  part  of  the  country,  which  appeared  in 
1791.  John  Bartram,  the  father,  was  the 
author  of  “A  Description  of  East  Florida ” 
(1766),  but  was  just  laying  aside  his  pen  at  a 
good  old  age.  A pretentious  work  on  much 
the  same  subject,  which  appeared  at  New 
York  in  1775,  was  the  first  volume  of  a “ Nat- 
ural History  of  East  and  West  Florida,”  by 
one  Bernard  Romans.  It  was  illustrated 
with  copperplates  and  maps.  The  author 
followed  it  three  years  later  with  the  first  vol- 
ume of  a work  on  the  Netherlands,  translated 


LITER  A TURE. 


II 7 

from  Dutch  historians  and  dedicated  to  Jona- 
than Trumbull.  But  in  neither  case  did  he 
go  further  than  a first  volume. 

The  ballad  literature  of  the  Revolution 
formed  a distinct  school,  and  was  the  most 
original  product  of  the  mind  and  circum- 
stances of  the  period*  These  ballads  found 
their  way  in  great  numbers  to  the  public 
press,  generally  from  anonymous  writers,  and 
were  almost  universally  pointed  with  a polit- 
ical purpose.  Every  important  event  was 
celebrated  in  this  way,  and  notable  char- 
acters were  applauded  or  satirized  as  they 
deserved.  The  collections  of  Du  Simitiere 
and  Freneau  preserve  the  most  characteristic 
of  these  extemporaneous  effusions,  and  throw 
no  little  light  upon  the  times.  Freneau  was 
himself  one  of  the  openly  avowed  and  most 
meritorious  of  these  Revolutionary  singers. 
He  was  a young  New-Yorker,  of  Huguenot 
descent ; and  of  his  writings,  both  in  prose 
and  verse,  several  collections  were  published. 
Du  Simitiere,  who  was  also  of  French  extrac- 
tion, but  living  in  Philadelphia,  was  one  of  the 
antiquaries  of  his  day,  and  exercised  his  lit- 


1 18 


REVOLUTIONARY  TIMES . 


erary  tastes  by  commencing  as  early  as  1776 
a collection  of  materials  for  a history  of  the 
war,  carefully  cutting  from  the  newspapers 
all  news  and  other  items  relating  to  the  prog- 
ress of  events,  and  pasting  them  upon  sheets 
of  paper,  under  a proper  system  of  classifi- 
cation. 

Freneau  was  born  in  1752,  which  was  also 
the  birth-year  of  a number  of  other  men  who, 
in  1776,  were  beginning  to  make  a mark  in 
literature.  Among  these  were  Alexander 
Graydon,  who  carefully  stored  up  his  remi- 
niscences of  the  Revolution  for  a volume  of 
“ Memoirs,”  which  he  published  in  1811; 
Gouverneur  Morris,  author  of  the  essays  by 
“ An  American,”  published  in  the  “ Pennsyl- 
vania Packet,”  in  1780;  Rev.  William  Linn,  of 
New  York,  who  published  several  volumes 
of  eloquent  discourses  ; Mrs.  Ann  Eliza 
Bleecker,  whose  name  is  borne  by  a number 
of  poems  and  tales  ; and  Rev.  Timothy 
Dwight,  who  became  the  president  of  Yale 
College,  and  was  the  author  of  the  well- 
known  hymn,  “ I love  thy  kingdom,  Lord.” 

The  name  of  Dwight,  who  now,  at  a little 


LITER  A TURE. 


119 


past  the  age  of  twenty,  was  just  finishing  his 
poem,  “ The  Conquest  of  Canaan,”  suggests 
another  interesting  coincidence,  and  brings 
to  view  another  circle  of  illustrious  writers. 
Dwight  was  a fellow,  at  Yale  College,  of 
David  Humphreys,  Joel  Barlow,  and  John 
Trumbull,  the  four  being  friends  and  working 
much  together.  Humphreys  came  to  wield 
a ready  pen,  which  he  turned  to  good  ac- 
count, first  in  patriotic  pleasantries,  and  later 
in  the  writing  of  a “ Life  of  General  Put- 
nam,” which  was  one  of  the  earliest  of  essays 
in  American  biography.  Barlow  had  the 
honor  of  seeing  his  Commencement  poem, 
“The  Prophet  of  Peace,”  printed  the  same 
year  of  its  delivery,  when  he  was  but  twenty- 
three  ; but  the  greater  and  better  part  of  his 
literary  work,  chiefly  poetry,  belongs"  to  a 
later  period. 

Trumbull’s  intellectual  life  and  literary  his- 
tory are  exceptionally  interesting  ; his  poem, 
“M’Fingal,”  being  perhaps  the  most  strik- 
ing of  the  literary  remains  of  the  Revolution. 
Trumbull,  who  was  born  in  Watertown,  Conn., 
in  1750,  passed  his  examination  for  admission 


120 


REVOLUTIONARY  TIMES . 


to  Yale  before  he  was  eight  years  old,  sitting 
on  that  occasion  for  the  purpose  in  the  lap 
of  Dr.  Emmons  ; but  happily  he  did  not  begin 
his  course  till  six  years  later,  which  brought 
him  into  the  notable  company  above  men- 
tioned. After  leaving  Yale,  he  studied  law 
with  John  Adams  in  Boston,  and  before  he 
was  twenty-five  had  written  a political  poem 
of  some  sixty  or  seventy  stanzas,  called  “ An 
Elegy  on  the  Times.”  His  “ M’Fingal,” 
which  was  begun  in  I774and  finished  in  1782, 
was  undertaken  at  the  instance  of  some  of  his 
political  friends,  as  a piece  of  public  service ; 
and,  to  take  his  own  description  of  it,  aimed 
to  give  a “ general  account  of  the  American 
contest,  with  a particular  description  of  the 
character  and  manners  of  the  times,  inter- 
spersed with  anecdotes,  which  no  history 
could  probably  record  or  display  ; and,  with 
as  much  impartiality  as  possible,  satirize  the 
follies  and  extravagances  of  my  [his]  country- 
men as  well  as  of  their  enemies.”  The  poem 
had  a great  run,  as  such  a burlesque  would  at 
such  a period.  More  than  thirty  editions  of 
it  were  printed,  in  all  possible  forms  ; and  it 
went  everywhere. 


LITER  A TURK. 


121 


In  1775-76  there  was  published  in  Phila- 
delphia, by  one  Robert  Aitkin,  a Scotchman, 
a monthly  periodical,  called  “ The  Pennsyl- 
vania Magazine,  or  American  Monthly  Mu- 
seum.” Thomas  Paine  was  its  editor,  on  a 
salary  of  <£25  a year  ; and  among  its  contribu- 
tors were  President  Witherspoon  and  Francis 
Hopkinson.  It  was  Paine’s  success  at  this 
post  which  drew  from  Dr.  Benjamin  Rush 
suggestions  that  led  to  his  celebrated  pamph- 
let, “ Common  Sense.”  Paine  was  the  author 
not  only  of  “ Common  Sense,”  probably  the 
most  famous  and  influential  pamphlet  in 
American  history,  but  of  a series  of  political 
tracts,  under  the  general  title  of  “ The  Crisis,” 
eighteen  of  which  appeared  between  1776  and 
1783.  Philadelphia  had  also  a “ United  States 
Maga’zine,”  of  which  Hugh  Henry  Bracken- 
ridge  wa*s  editor.  Brackenridge  was  a graduate 
of  Princeton  in  the  class  of  1771  ; and  his  com- 
mencement poem,  on  “ The  Rising  Glory  of 
America,”  achieved  the  distinction  of  print  the 
year  following  its  delivery.  He  also  wrote 
a drama,  entitled  “ Bunker’s  Hill,”  which  was 
published  in  1776. 


122 


REVOLUTIONARY  TIMES. 


To  the  Revolutionary  period  belong  the 
familiar  lines  — 

“ No  pent-up  Utica  contracts  your  pow’rs, 

But  the  whole  boundless  continent  is  yours  ! ” 

which  occur  in  the  epilogue  to  a tragedy, 
“Cato,”  written  in  1778  by  Jonathan  M. 
Sewall,  a lawyer  of  Portsmouth,  N.H.  At 
Dover,  N.H.,  Dr.  Jeremy  Belknap  was  in 
the  midst  of  his  twenty  years’  pastorate,  col- 
lecting, we  may  suppose,  the  materials  for  his 
invaluable  History  of  New  Hampshire,  the 
first  volume  of  which  was  published  at  Phila- 
delphia in  1784.  Noah  Webster  had  just  en- 
tered Yale;  and,  before  the  Revolution  ended, 
had  begun  those  labors  which  were  to  yield 
spelling-book  and  dictionary  as  their  lasting 
fruit. 

Then,  of  other  writers,  there  were  Nathaniel 
Evans,  of  New  Jersey,  a collection  of  whose 
poems  was  posthumously  published  in  1772  ; 
Theodoric  and  Richard  Bland,  both  Virginians, 
the  former  an  occasional  versifier,  the  latter 
a pamphleteer  ; Dr.  Benjamin  Church,  who 
impaired  his  growing  fame  as  a spirited  poet 


LITER  A TURK. 


123 


by  treasonable  correspondence  with  the  enemy, 
and  was  compelled  to  leave  the  country,  the 
ship  in  which  he  sailed  from  Boston  for  the 
West  Indies  never  being  heard  from  ; Hannah 
Adams,  who,  though  but  twenty  years  old,  was  , 
laying  the  foundations  of  learning  and  taste 
for  her  subsequent  industrious  and  honorable 
literary  career ; and  finally  Mercy  Warren, 
one  of  the  most  truly  and  effectively  patriotic 
women  of  the  Revolution,  author  of  several 
poems  and  tragedies,  and  in  after  years  of  a 
history  of  the  war. 

The  year  1775  saw  the  first  number  of 
Isaiah  Thomas’s  New  England  Almanack. 
The  first  dramatic  work  written  in  America 
was  now  about  a dozen  years  old,  having  ap- 
peared in  1763.  This  was  “ The  Prince  of 
Parthia,”  a tragedy  of  considerable  but  un- 
even merit,  its  author  being  Thomas  Godfrey, 
a native  of  Philadelphia. 

Perhaps  the  most  curious  chapter  in  the 
volume  of  Revolutionary  literature  was  that 
furnished  by  the  career  of  Phillis  Wheatley, 
the  “ prodigy”  of  her  times,  and  such  not  only 
by  reason  of  her  youth,  but  of  her  race  and 


124 


REVOLUTIONARY  TIMES . 


condition.  She  was  a native  African,  had 
been  brought  to  this  country  in  1761,  was  pur- 
chased in  the  slave-mart  of  Boston  by  the 
family  whose  name  she  bore,  and  was  now 
only  about  twenty  years  of  age.  She  mani- 
fested great  intelligence,  and  acquired  learning 
and  accomplishments  with  astonishing  rapidity 
and  ease.  Her  poems,  which  were  numerous, 
and  extremely  creditable  considering  her  his- 
tory, were  collected  and  published  in  a volume. 
One  of  them,  addressed  to  Washington,  read 
in  connection  with  the  correspondence  which 
attended  it,  will  give  the  reader  a good  idea 
of  her  powers,  and  of  the  place  she  held  in  the 
public  esteem  : — 

Phillis  Wheatley  to  Gen.  Washington. 

Sir : 

I have  taken  the  freedom  to  address  your  Ex- 
cellency in  the  enclosed  Poem,  and  entreat  your 
acceptance,  though  I am  not  insensible  of  its  inaccu- 
racies. Your  being  appointed  by  the  Grand  Conti- 
nental Congress  to  be  Generalissimo  of  the  Armies  of 
North  America,  together  with  the  fame  of  your  virtues, 
excite  sensations  not  easy  to  suppress.  Your  gene- 
rosity, therefore,  I presume,  will  pardon  the  attempt. 
Wishing  your  Excellency  all  possible  success  in  the 


LITER  A TURK. 


125 


great  cause  you  are  so  generously  engaged  in,  I am 
Your  Excellency’s  most  obedient  humble  servant, 

Phillis  Wheatley. 

Providence,  Oct.  26,  1775. 


His  Excellency  Gen.  Washington. 

Celestial  choir  ! enthron’d  in  realms  of  light, 
Columbia’s  scenes  of  glorious  toils  I write. 

While  freedom’s  cause  her  anxious  breast  alarms. 
She  flashes  dreadful  in  refulgent  arms. 

See  mother  earth  her  offspring’s  fate  bemoan, 
And  nations  gaze  at  scenes  before  unknown ! 

See  the  bright  beams  of  heaven’s  revolving  light 
Involved  in  sorrows  and  the  veil  of  night ! 

The  goddess  comes,  she  moves  divinely  fair, 
Olive  and  laurel  binds  her  golden  hair : 

Wherever  shines  this  native  of  the  skies, 
Unnumbered  charms  and  recent  graces  rise. 

Muse  ! bow  propitious  while  my  pen  relates 
How  pour  her  armies  through  a thousand  gates, 
As  when  Eolus  heaven’s  face  deforms, 

Enwrapp’d  in  tempest  and  a night  of  storms  ; 
Astonish’d  ocean  feels  the  wild  uproar, 

The  refluent  surges  beat  the  sounding  shore  ; 

Or  thick  as  leaves  in  Autumn’s  golden  reign, 
Such,  and  so  many,  moves  the  warrior’s  train. 

In  bright  array  they  seek  the  work  of  war, 

When  high  unfurl’d  the  ensign  waves  in  air. 


126 


REVOLUTIONARY  TIMES . 


Shall  I to  Washington  their  praise  recite? 
Enough  thou  know’st  them  in  the  fields  of  fight. 
Thee,  first  in  place  and  honours,  — we  demand 
The  grace  and  glory  of  thy  martial  band. 

Fam’d  for  thy  valour,  for  thy  virtues  more, 

Hear  every  tongue  thy  guardian  aid  implore ! 

One  century  scarce  perform’d  its  destined  round, 
When  Gallic  powers  Columbia’s  fury  found  ; 

And  so  may  you,  whoever  dares  disgrace 
The  land  of  freedom’s  heaven-defended  race  ! 
Fix’d  are  the  eyes  of  nations  on  the  scales, 

For  in  their  hopes  Columbia’s  arm  prevails. 

Anon  Britannia  droops  the  pensive  head, 

While  round  increase  the  rising  hills  of  dead. 

Ah  ! cruel'folindness  to  Columbia’s  state  ! 

Lament  thy  thirst  of  boundless  powers  too  late. 
Proceed,  great  chief,  with  virtue  on  thy  side, 

Thy  ev’ry  action  let  the  goddess  guide. 

A crown,  a mansion,  and  a throne  that  shine, 

With  gold  unfading,  Washington  ! be  thine. 

Washington’s  reply  to  this  offering  was  as 
follows  : — 

Cambridge , February  2d \ 1776, 

Miss  Phillis  : 

Your  favor  of  the  26th  October  did  not  reach  my 
hands  till  the  middle  of  December.  Time  enough, 
you  will  say,  to  have  given  an  answer  ere  this.  Granted. 
But  a variety  of  important  occurrences  continually 
interposing  to  distract  the  mind  and  withdraw  the 


LITER  A TURK. 


127 


attention,  I hope  will  apologize  for  the  delay,  and 
plead  my  excuse  for  the  seeming  but  not  real  neglect. 
I thank  you  most  sincerely  for  your  polite  notice  of 
me,  in  the  elegant  lines  you  enclosed  ; and  however 
undeserving  I may  be  of  such  encomium  and  pane- 
gyric, the  style  and  manner  exhibit  a striking  proof  of 
your  poetical  talents  ; in  honour  of  which,  and  as  a 
tribute  justly  due  to  you,  I would  have  published  the 
poem,  had  I not  been  apprehensive  that,  while  I only 
meant  to  give  the  world  this  new  instance  of  your 
genius,  I might  have  incurred  the  imputation  of 
vanity.  This,  and  nothing  else,  determined  me  not 
to  give  it  place  in  the  public  prints.  If  you  should 
ever  come  to  Cambridge,  or  near  head-quarters,  I 
shall  be  happy  to  see  a person  so  favoured  by  the 
Muses,  and  to  whom  Nature  has  been  so  liberal  and 
beneficent  in  her  dispensations.  I am,  with  great 
respect,  your  obedient  humble  servant, 

George  Washington. 

The  system  of  public  libraries  in  the  United 
States  belongs  exclusively  to  the  present 
century  ; and  almost  wholly  to  the  third 
quarter  of  it,  which  is  just  now  closed.  A 
hundred  years  ago  the  only  libraries  that 
could  properly  fall  under  this  designation, 
apart  from  the  comparatively  small  collec- 
tions of  the  colleges,  were  the  Society  Library 


128 


REVOLUTIONARY  TIMES. 


in  New  York,  and  the  Library  Company’s  in 
Philadelphia.  The  collection  of  books  belong- 
ing to  the  latter  was  not  a large  or  valuable 
one,  though  it  enjoyed  the  patronage  of 
Franklin.  It  was  housed  in  Carpenters’ 
Hall,  and  was  open  daily  from  2 to  7 p.m. 
The  librarian’s  salary  was  ;£6o.  The  free 
use  of  the  books  was  tendered  to  the  mem- 
bers of  the  Congress.  The  Redwood  Library 
was  in  existence  at  Newport ; and  there  was 
a Library  Society  in  Charleston,  S.C.,  now 
about  thirty  years  old,  which  had  accumu- 
lated a fund  of  a hundred  thousand  dollars, 
and  at  one  time  had  a collection  of  from 
five  to  six  thousand  volumes.  Most  of  the 
books  were  destroyed  by  fire  in  1771.  Private 
libraries  there  were,  some  of  them  large  and 
valuable ; larger  and  more  valuable  in  pro- 
portion, probably,  than  those  of  the  present 
day.  The  parish  library  held  a place' of  im- 
portance, which  it  has  long  since  lost,  and  was 
often  administered  upon  the  circulating  prin- 
ciple. Its  contents  were  scarcely  miscellane- 
ous in  even  the  slightest  degree,  but  almost 
wholly  theological ; comprising  the  works  of 


LITER  A TURK . 


129 


English  theologians,  memoirs,  standard  his- 
tories, and  volumes  of  sermons  and  religious 
essays.  Conspicuous  among  these  parish  li- 
braries was  that  left  with  the  Old  South 
Church,  Boston,  by  its  then  lately  deceased 
pastor,  Rev.  Thomas  Prince,  and  designated  by 
him  as  the  “ New  England  Library.''  Books 
were  loaned  with  generous  freedom  from  hand 
to  hand,  and  in  this  way  did  wide  and  persis- 
tent service.  In  the  large  towns,  circulating 
libraries  upon  the  familiar  plan  attempted  to 
meet  the  popular  want  for  a lighter  litera- 
ture. One  such  had  been  established  in 
Boston,  by  John  Main,  as  early  as  1764. 

In  1773,  Mr.  James  Foster  Condy,  adver- 
tising in  the  “ Boston  Gazette"  of  July  8th 
a recent  importation  “'of  the  moft  efteemed 
Books,"  to  be  found  on  sale  “at  his  Book- 
Store  in  Union  Street,  directly  oppofite  the 
Cornfield,"  specifies  : 

...  a very  large 

Affortment in 

Law  — Phyfick  — Hiftory  — Divinity  — Claffick  — 
Navigation  — Huf  bandry  — Agriculture,  &c. 

9 


130 


REVOLUTIONARY  TIMES. 


ALSO 

A large  Collection  of  Plays,  Children’s  and  Chap- 
man’s Books,  Bibles  of  every  fize  and  Quality,  Pfalters, 
Primers,  Spelling  Books,  and  Pfalm-Books  — Grove 
on  the  Sacrament,  Doddridge’s  Family  Religion,  a 
Poem  entitled  the  Grave  — Recovery  from  Sicknefs, 
Smith’s  Eflay,  Diffenting  Gentleman’s  Anfwer,  Town 
and  Country,  &c,  &c. 

That  mysterious  “ collection  of  books  be- 
longing to  a gentleman  deceased,”  the  pathetic 
announcement  of  whose  sale  draws  tears  from 
our  eyes  and  money  from  our  pockets  so  fre- 
quently in  these  later  days,  seems  to  be  an 
old  collection,  for  we  find  it  advertised  in  the 
“ Boston  Gazette,”  of  May  3,  1773. 

The  American  author  was  often  his  own 
publisher,  and  publishing  was  far  from  being 
the  science  into  which  it  has  since  been 
developed.  The  following  prospectus  relat- 
ing to  the  publication  of  young  Dwight’s 
poem  (see  p.  119)  indicates  with  what  throes 
even  poetic  thought  sometimes  found  deliver- 
ance into  the  printed  page  : * — 


* The  New  England  Chronicle,  March  14,  1 776. 


LITER  A TURK. 


131 


Proposals  for  Printing  by  Subscription. 

The  CONQUEST  of  CANAAN, 

A POEM,  in  nine  books. 

I.  This  work  will  be  Contained  in  twelve  fheets, 
making  upwards  of  350  pages  12  mo. 

II.  It  will  be  printed  with  an  elegant  type,  upon 
fine  writing  paper  ; will  be  contained  in  one  volume, 
delivered  to  the  fubfcribers  neatly  bound,  gilt  and  let- 
tered, at  the  price  of  one  dollar. 

III.  Thofe  who  fubfcribe  for  twelve,  fhall  have  a 

thirteenth  gratis.  * 

Subscriptions  for  the  Poem,  are  taken  in  by  J. 
Dunlap  in  Philadelphia,  Mr.  J.  Holt,  New  York,  Mr. 
W.  C.  Houtton,  in  Princeton,  Mr.  F.  Barber,  in  Eliza- 
bethtown, Mr.  J.  Davenport,  in  Fairfield,  Meffirs, Greens, 
in  New  Haven,  Mr.  F.  Watfon,  in  Hartford,  Mr.  H. 
Hill,  in  Norwich,  Mr.  G.  Olny,  in  Providence,  the 
Printer  of  this  paper,  in  Cambridge,  Dodlor  J.  Brackett, 
in  Portfmouth,  and  by  various  other  gentlemen  in  the 
principal  towns  on  the  Continent ; with  all  of  whom  are 
lodged  papers,  Containing  a general  account  of  the 
work.  ...  A further  difcription,  and  fome  fpecimens 
of  it,  will  foon  be  publifhed  in  the  Pennfylvania 
Magazine . 

But  we  must  pass  from  books  to  another 
appliance  of  the  intellectual  life  of  the  time. 


132 


REVOLUTIONARY  TIMES . 


VIII. 

THE  PRESS. 

There  were  no  daily  newspapers  in  the 
time  of  the  Revolution.  Of  some  fifty  papers 
which  were  born,  and  lived,  or  died,  between 
1748  and  1783,  all  were  weeklies  or  semi- 
weeklies. There  were  forty-three  such  in  ex- 
istence at  the  end  of  the  war.  They  were 
poor  affairs,  viewed  in  the  light  of  the  jour- 
nalism of  to-day  ; but,  measured  by  their 
times,  displayed  considerable  enterprise,  and 
exerted  an  immense  influence.  It  was  their 
characteristic  that  they  aimed  not  so  much 
to  print  the  news  of  the  locality  in  which 
they  were  published  as  to  bring  to  that 
locality  news  from  distant  parts  of  the 
country  and  of  the  world.  In  fact,  the 
newspapers  of  the  Revolution  had  compara- 
tively little  to  do  with  news  of  any  kind. 
The  gathering  of  it  had  not  been  reduced  to 
a system.  The  publisher  was  his  own  editor 


THE  PRESS. 


133 


and  reporter.  There  were  no  telegraph  tolls 
to  pay  ; and,  had  there  been,  there  would  have 
been  no  money  with  which  to  have  paid  them. 
News  travelled  to  the  paper  by  private  con- 
veyance. It  was  two  months  coming  from 
Great  Britain,  and  six  months  from  Constan- 
tinople. That  useful  and  widely  known  indi- 
vidual, “a  gentleman,  of  undoubted  veracity,” 
lived,  however,  in  the  country  at  that  time, 
and  rendered  valuable  services.  The  papers 
were  filled  with  political  sayings,  satires,  and 
lampoons.  By  many  of  them,  the  largest 
liberty  of  discussion  was  allowed  ; and  there 
were  noticeable  tendencies  to  the  freest  sort 
of  speculation.  Of  journalism  in  the  modern 
sense  of  the  term,  elaborated,  enterprising, 
competitive,  lavish  in  outlay,  and  presenting 
a field  for  the  highest  attainments  and  most 
carefully  acquired  professional  skill,  there  was 
absolutely  nothing.  And  yet  we  must  accord 
to  the  journals  of  the  Revolution,  small,  irreg- 
ular, struggling  sheets  that  they  were,  the 
credit  of  a generally  heroic  spirit,  and  a very 
noble  achievement  in  shaping  the  patriotic 
temper  of  the  times. 


134 


REVOLUTIONARY  TIMES . 


A number  of  newspapers  were  published 
in  and  about  Boston,  all  but  one  of  which, 
however,  were  suspended  wholly  or  in  part 
during  the  siege.  This  one  survivor  of  the 
disturbances  of  1775-76  was  the  “ Massachu- 
setts Gazette  and  Weekly  News-Letter,”  the 
organ  of  the  Tories.  The  “ Massachusetts 
Spy,”  now  four  years  old,  had  been  founded 
by  Isaiah  Thomas  as  a neutral  sheet,  but  had 
become  committed  to  the  Revolutionary  party. 
The  prospectus  which  announced  its  appear- 
ance in  July,  1770,  gives  so  graphic  a picture 
of  a newspaper  enterprise  of  the  time,  that  we 
copy  it  in  full,  as  quoted  by  Mr.  Hudson  :*  — 

To  the  Public. 

It  has  always  been  cuftomary  for  Printers  and 
Publifhers  of  new  periodical  Publications,  to  introduce 
them  to  the  World  with  an  Account  of  the  Nature  and 
End  of  their  Defign.  We,  therefore,  beg  Leave  to 
obferve,  That  this  fmall  Paper,  under  the  name  of 
THE  MASSACHUSETTS  SPY,  is  calculated  on 
an  entire  New  Plan.  If  it  meets  with  a favorable 
Reception,  it  will  be  regularly  publifhed  Three  Times 
every  Week,  viz,  Tuefdays , Thurfdays  and  Saturdays 
(on  two  of  which  Days  no  News-Paper  is  publifhed 

* Journalism  in  the  United  States,  p.  127. 


THE  PRESS . 


135 


in  this  Town)  by  which  Means,  thofe  who  favour  this 
Undertaking  with  their  Subfcription,  will  always  have 
the  mod  material  of  the  News,  which  may  from  Time 
to  Time  arive  from  Europe  and  from  the  other  Parts  of 
this  Continent,  on  the  Day  of  its  Arrival,  or  the  next 
Day  following,  (Sundays  excepted)  which  will  be 
fooner  through  this  Channel  than  any  other.  Great 
Care  will  be  taken  in  collecting  and  inferting  the  frefh- 
eft  and  choiceft  Intelligence  from  Europe,  and  the  ma- 
terial TranfaCtions  of  this  Town  and  Province;  Twice 
every  Week  will  be  given  a Lift  of  the  Arrival  and 
Departure  of  Ships  and  other  Veffels,  alfo  a Lift  of 
Marriages  and  Deaths,  &c.  and  occaftonally  will  be 
inferted  felect  Pieces  in  Profe  and  Verfe,  curious  Inven- 
tions and  new  Difcoveries  in  Nature  and  Science. 
Thofe  who  Choofe  to  advertife  herein,  may  depend  on 
having  their  Advertisements  inferted  in  a neat  and 
Confpicuous  Manner,  at  the  moft  reafonable  Rates. 
When  there  happens  to  be  a larger  Quantity  of  News 
and  a greater  Number  of  Advertifements  than  can  well 
be  contained  in  one  Number,  at  its  ufual  Bignefs,  it 
will  be  enlarged  to  double  its  Size  at  fuch  Times,  in 
order  that  our  Readers  may  not  be  difappointed  of 
Intelligence. 

This  is  a brief  Sketch  of  the  Plan  on  which  we  pro- 
pofe  to  publifh  this  Paper,  and  we  readily  flatter  our- 
felves  the  Public  will  honour  it  with  that  Regard  the 
Execution  of  it  may  deferve  ; and  doubt  not,  it  will  be 
executed  with  fuch  Judgment  and  Accuracy  as  to  merit 
a favourable  Reception. 


136  REVOLUTIONARY  TIMES . 


Then  there  was  the  “ New  England  Chron- 
icle/’ published  by  Powars  and  Willis,  at  one 
time  in  Boston,  at  another  time  in  Cambridge, 
and  then  again  in  Boston  ; besides  sustaining 
the  rather  intimate  relation  of  both  conse- 
quent of,  and  antecedent  to,  the  “ Essex  Ga- 
zette,” of  Salem  ; and  further  appearing  at 
one  time  under  the  name  of  the  “ Indepen- 
dent Chronicle.”  There  was  also  the  “ Inde- 
pendent Ledger  and  American  Advertiser,” 
founded  in  1778;  the  “ Continental  Journal 
and  Weekly  Advertiser,”  first  issued  in  May, 
1776;  and  the  “ Boston  Gazette,”  which  lat- 
ter, dating  back  as  far  as  1766,  was  the  chief 
organ  of  the  Revolutionary  Party.  To  all  of 
these  patriot  papers  Samuel  Adams,  John 
Adams,  James  Otis,  Joseph  Warren,  and 
others  of  the  republican  leaders  in  Boston, 
were  constant  contributors. 

Let  us  look  over  a copy  of  one  of  these  old 
papers  ; and,  for  the  value  of  the  associations 
of  the  date,  let  it  be  “ The  New  England 
Chronicle/’  of  July  4,  1 776.  It  is  “ Vol.  VIII. 
Numb.  41 1,”  and  bears  the  imprint : “ BOS- 
TON : Printed  by  POWARS  and  WILLIS, 


THE  PRESS. 


13  7 


at  their  Office  oppofite  the  new  Court 
House,  Queen-Street/’  It  is  a four-page 
sheet,  about  ten  inches  by  fifteen,  three  col- 
umns to  a page.  There  are  no  rules  between 
the  columns.  The  first  column  of  the  first 
page  contains  a proclamation  of  General 
Washington,  offering  a bounty  of  lands  to 
soldiers  and  officers  of  the  army ; the  second, 
a brief  resolution  of  the  Congress,  and  short 
extracts  from  letters  from  Lewistown,  Balti- 
more, and  New  York  ; the  third,  a communi- 
cation from  some  anonymous  correspondent 
relating  to  Dr.  Price’s  new  work  on  Civil  Lib- 
erty. Following  this,  upon  the  second  page, 
come  advices  from  Williamsburg,  Philadel- 
phia, New  York,  Hartford,  Providence,  and 
Watertown,  with  half  a column  of  advertise- 
ments. Two  columns  of  the  third  page  are 
occupied  by  further  advices  from  New  York 
and  other  points  relating  to  the  progress  of 
the  war,  and  the  third  column  is  divided 
between  more  advertisements  and  a legal 
notice  signed  “ Tim.  Pickering,  Jun.”  One- 
half  of  the  fourth  page  is  again  given  up  to 
advertisements,  and  the  other  to  despatches 


138 


REVOLUTIONARY  TIMES. 


from  London  reporting  the  proceedings  of 
Parliament.  There  is  no  editorial  matter ; 
and,  it  may  be  added,  no  telegraph  “ specials  ” 
from  Philadelphia,  foretelling  the  Declaration  ! 

Outside  of  Boston,  the  New  England  papers 
of  the  time  were  u The  New  Hampshire  Ga- 
zette/' which  was  founded  at  Portsmouth  in 
1756,  and  has  continued  to  the  present  day 
without  interruption  or  change  of  name  ; a 
“ New  Hampshire  Gazette,"  started  in  1775  ; 
the  “ Norwich  Packet"  (1773)  ; the  “ Hart- 
ford Courant " (1764) ; the  “ Connecticut  Jour- 
nal and  New  Haven  Post  Boy"  (1767);  the 
“ Connecticut  Gazette"  (1773),  successor  to 
the  “ New  London  Gazette"  (1758)  ; and  the 
“ Newport  Mercury"  (1758),  of  which  James 
Franklin  was  the  publisher.  Vermont's  paper, 
the  “ Vermont  Gazette,  or  Green  Mountain 
Boy,"  was  not  started  till  1781. 

New  York  being  occupied  by  the  British 
during  the  greater  part  of  the  year,  only  four 
papers  were  continued  through  the  period, 
three  weeklies  and  one  semi-weekly ; the 
publication  being  so  arranged  that  there  was 
a paper  every  day  in  the  week  except  Sunday 


THE  PRESS. 


139 


and  Tuesday.  The  semi-weekly  was  “ Riv- 
ington’s  Royal  Gazette,”  and  it  was  the  lead- 
ing one  of  the  four.  All  had  the  sanction  of 
the  British  authorities,  and  were  in  the  hands 
of  the  Tories.  “ Rivington’s  Gazette”  was 
very  outspoken  in  its  opposition  to  the  patri- 
ots, and  expressed  its  sympathies  for  the 
royal  cause  in  the  strongest  terms.  It  is 
said  that  several  hundred  copies  of  each  issue 
were  regularly  sent  to  Boston  in  1775,  to  be 
distributed  in  General  Gage’s  army.  The  “ Ga- 
zette’s ” three  companions  were  “Game’s  Mer- 
cury, the  “ Royal  American  Gazette,”  and  the 
“New  York  Mercury.”  The  patriot  papers 
were  driven  out  of  the  city  by  the  entrance 
of  the  British.  The  “ New  York  Journal,  or 
General  Advertiser,”  (1767),  removed  to 
Poughkeepsie,  and  the  “ New  York  Packet 
and  American  Advertiser”  (1776)  to  Fishkill. 
Albany  had  a “ Post-Boy.” 

In  New  Jersey  there  was  a “ New  Jersey 
Gazette”  (1777)  and  a “ New  Jersey  Journal” 
(1778),  the  latter  published  at  Chatham. 

In  addition  to  the  “ Pennsylvania  Chroni- 
cle and  Universal  Advertiser,”  which  had 


140 


REVOLUTIONARY  TIMES. 


been  published  in  Philadelphia  since  1767,  no 
less  than  five  other  papers  were  started  in 
that  city  during  the  very  first  year  of  the 
Revolution,  one  of  them  a German  sheet. 
Further  south  was  the  “ Maryland  Journal 
and  Baltimore  Advertiser,”  whose  first  num- 
ber, under  date  of  Aug.  20,  1773,  contained 
an  advertisement  of  George  Washington’s, 
offering  for  lease  twenty  thousand  acres  of 
land  on  the  Ohio  and  Kanawha  Rivers.  Two 
“Virginia  Gazettes ” were  published  in  Wil- 
liamsburg, Va.,  with  one  of  which  Jefferson 
had  much  to  do.  In  this  it  is  said  that  the 
Declaration  of  Independence  was  first  pub- 
lished on  the  26th  of  July.  Still  further 
south  there  were  the  “ North  Carolina  Ga- 
zette” at  Newbern,  the  “ South  Carolina  and 
American  General  Gazette  ” of  Charleston, 
and  the  “ Georgia  Gazette  ” in  Savannah. 

It  is  impossible  at  this  distance  to  realize 
the  difficulties  which  attended  newspaper 
publication  a hundred  years  ago.  The  great- 
est of  them  grew  out  of  the  scarcity  of  paper 
occasioned  by  the  war.  Not  only  was  paper 
scarce,  but  rags  were  scarce ; and  the  only 


THE  PRESS. 


141 

paper-mill  in  New  England  in  1769  had  to 
appeal  to  the  people  to  save  every  scrap,  after 
this  fashion : — 

Advertisement. 

The  Bell  Cart  will  go  through  Bofton  before  the 
end  of  next  month,  to  colledt  Rags  for  the  Paper-Mill 
at  Milton,  when  all  people  that  will  encourage  the 
Paper  Manufactory,  may  difpofe  of  them.  They  are 
taken  in  at  Mr.  Caleb  Davis’s  fhop,  at  the  Fortifica- 
tion ; Mr.  Andrew  Gillefpie’s,  near  Dr.  Clark’s  ; Mr. 
Andras  Randall’s,  near  Phillips’s  Wharf;  and  Mr. 
John  Boies’s  in  Long  Lane  ; Mr.  Frothingham’s  in 
Charleftown ; Mr.  Williams’s  in  Marblehead ; Mr. 
Edfon’s  in  Salem;  Mr.  John  Harris’s  in  Newbury; 
Mr.  Daniel  Fowle’s  in  Portfmouth ; and  at  the  Paper- 
Mill  in  Milton.* 

This  difficulty  seems  to  have  been  no  less 
ten  years  later,  when  the  “ Massachusetts 
Spy  ” again,  as  quoted  by  Mr.  Hudson,!  con- 
tained the  following  touching  and  irresistible 
appeal : — 

Cash  Given  for  Linen  and  Cotton  and  Linen 
Rags,  at  the  Printing  Office. 

It  is  earneftly  requefted  that  the  fair  Daughters  of 
Liberty  in  this  extenfive  Country  would  not  negledt  to 

* News-Letter,  March  6,  1769,  as  quoted  in  “Journal- 
ism in  the  United  States,”  p.  114.  f lb.  p.  115. 


142 


REVOLUTIONARY  TIMES. 


ferve  their  Country,  by  faving  for  the  Paper-Mill,  all 
Linen  and  Cotton  and  Linen  Rags,  be  they  ever  fo 
fmall,  as  they  are  equally  good  for  the  purpofe  of  mak- 
ing paper,  as  thofe  that  are  larger.  A bag  hung  up  in 
one  corner  of  a room,  would  be  the  means  of  faving 
many  which  would  be  otherwife  loft.  If  the  Ladies 
fhould  not  make  a fortune  by  this  piece  of  economy 
they  will  at  leaft  have  the  fatisfa&ion  of  knowing 
they  are  doing  an  effential  fervice  to  the  Community, 
which  with  Ten  Shillings  per  pound,  the  price  now 
given  for  clean  white  rags,  they  muft  be  fenfible  will 
be  a fufficient  reward. 

Isaiah  Thomas. 

The  subscription  price  of  the  “ New  Eng- 
land Chronicle”  was  six  shillings  and  eight 
pence  per  annum.  Happy  the  printer  who 
received  his  pay  in  money  and  with  prompt- 
ness. The  following  advertisement  from  the 
“New  York  Journal,”  in  August,  1777,  bears 
on  this  point : — 

The  printer  being  unable  to  carry  on  his  bufinefs 
without  the  neceflaries  of  life,  is  obliged  to  affix,  the 
following  prices  to  his  work,  viz.  : For  a quarter  of 

news,  12  lbs.  of  beef,  pork,  veal,  or  mutton,  or  4 lbs. 
of  butter,  or  7 lbs.  of  cheefe,  or  18  lbs.  of  fine  flour, 
or  half  a buffiel  of  wheat,  or  one  buffiel  of  Indian 
corn,  or  half  a cord  of  wood,  or  300  wt.  of  hay,  or 


THE  PRESS. 


143 


other  articles  of  country  produce  as  he  fhall  want 
them,  in  like  proportions,  or  as  much  money  as  will 
purchafe  them  at  the  time  ; for  other  articles  of  print- 
ing work,  the  prices  to  be  in  proportion  to  that  of  the 
newfpaper.  All  his  cuftomers,  who  have  to  fpare  any 
of  the  above,  or  other  articles  of  country  produce,  he 
hopes  will  let  him  know  it,  and  afford  him  the  necef- 
fary  fupplies,  without  which  his  bufinefs  here  mult 
very  foon  be  difcontinued. 

There  is  something  suggestive  in  the  very 
names  which  many  of  these  old  papers  bore, 
names  which  hold  a meaning  strikingly  illus- 
trative of  the  methods  of  communication  in 
use.  Now  we  call  our  papers  Telegraphs, 
Expresses,  and  Mails  ; then  they  were  News- 
Letters,  Packets,  and  Post-Boys. 

The  newspaper  was  not  the  only  instru- 
ment for  influencing  public  opinion.  The 
pamphlet  held  a place  midway  between  the 
cumbersome  book  and  the  transient  journal  ; 
and  this  light  artillery  of  the  political  ord- 
nance of  the  war  was  in  constant  use  and  did 
invaluable  service.  Such  a pamphlet  was 
Thomas  Paine’s  “ Common  Sense,”  already 
referred  to,  which  was  published  early  in 
1776,  attained  an  enormous  circulation,  and 


144 


REVOLUTIONARY  TIMES . 


exerted  a powerful  influence  in  shaping  the 
public  mind  in  favor  of  independence  and  con- 
federation. The  hand-bill,  too,  and  the  broad- 
side, as  well  as  the  ballad,  were  favorite 
weapons  of  thought,  and  gave  a swift  and 
easy  currency  to  the  invectives  and  satires 
which  would  hardly  have  found  expression  in 
more  formal  ways. 


CHURCHES  AND  CLERGY. 


145 


IX. 

THE  CHURCHES  AND  THE  CLERGY. 

The  American  people  at  birth  were  em- 
phatically a religious  people.  All  sects  of  the 
Christian  Church  had  a foothold  in  the  coun- 
try, though  their  relative  importance,  meas- 
ured by  the  number  of  congregations  and 
value  of  property,  was  very  different  from  now. 
Not  only  all  the  States,  but  all  the  leading 
communities,  were  distinctively  Protestant. 
The  Methodists  and  Roman  Catholics,  which, 
in  numbers  and  wealth,  substantially  lead  all 
the  other  denominations  to-day,  were  then 
at  the  other  extreme  of  the  list,  the  formal 
organization  of  neither  having  taken  place 
until  after  the  Revolution:  The  order  com- 
plete was  as  follows  : Congregationalism  Bap- 
tist, Episcopalian,  Presbyterian,  Lutheran, 
German  Reformed,  Dutch  Reformed,  and 
Roman  Catholic.  As  a whole,  the  Congrega- 
tionalists,  the  Baptists,  and  the  Presbyterians 

IO 


146  REVOLUTIONARY  TIMES. 


were  warmly  on  the  side  of  independence  ; 
the  Episcopalians,  as  generally,  in  sympathy 
with  the  mother  country.  Exceptions  of 
course  there  were  on  both  sides.  In  shaping 
the  views  of  the  conflict  and  moulding  the 
character  which  wrought  them  out  so  suc- 
cessfully, the  patriot  pulpit  wielded  a power- 
ful influence.  The  political  sermons  of  the 
New  England  clergy  were  printed  in  pam- 
phlet form  and  scattered  far  and  wide  ; and 
the  Church,  carefully  dissevered  from  the 
State,  was  yet  both  brain  and  heart  thereto, 
at  the  time  when  the  condition  of  the  latter 
was  a question  of  life  and  death.  The  Meth- 
odists and  Roman  Catholics  were  too  few 
and  feeble  to  play  any  distinctive  part  in  the 
contest.  The  Congregationalists  were  strong- 
est in  New  England,  of  whose  broad  and  firm 
institutions  they  had  laid  the  foundations 
more  than  a century  before.  The  Episco- 
palians were  similarly  strong  in  New  York, 
and  the  Presbyterians  in  New  Jersey  and 
Philadelphia  ; the  Baptists  were  feeling  their 
way  down  into  Virginia,  and  planting  there 
the  seeds  of  the  thick  growth  that  has  since 


CHURCHES  AND  CLERGY. 


H7 


sprung  up  through  all  the  South.  John  Mur- 
ray, the  father  of  Universalism,  was  just 
beginning  his  American  ministry  in  New 
Jersey,  Rhode  Island,  and  Massachusetts. 
The  Quakers  were  in  force  in  Philadelphia. 
The  eccentric  sect  of  the  Sandemanians  was 
establishing  itself  obscurely  in  some  of  the 
inland  towns  of  Connecticut.  The  only  Epis- 
copal clergyman  who  remained  in  Philadelphia 
after  its  evacuation  by  the  British  was  Dr. 
William  White,  who  had  continued  to  pray  for 
the  King  up  to  the  time  of  the  Declaration, 
and  then  with  a good  grace  submitted  to  the 
new  order.  He  it  was  who  was  afterward 
consecrated  first  Episcopal  bishop  of  Penn- 
sylvania. 

Throughout  the  entire  country  the  minister 
was  largely  charged  with  the  general  dissem- 
ination of  intellectual  influence.  His  min- 
istry was  not  restricted,  as  it  is  now,  to  the 
mere  preaching  of  sermons  and  pastoral  care. 
There  was  much  more  for  him  to  do  then. 
More  was  expected  of  him.  He  did  more. 
How  much  is  well  set  forth  in  the  words 
that  follow : — 


148  REVOLUTIONARY  TIMES. 


The  clergyman  not  only  sanctified  and  cemented 
the  parish,  but  he  founded  the  State.  It  was  his  instruc- 
tion which  moulded  the  soldier  and  the  statesman.  Liv- 
ing among  agriculturists,  remote  from  towns,  where 
language  and  literature  would  naturally  be  neglected 
and  corrupted,  in  advance  of  the  school-master  and  the 
school,  he  was  the  future  college  in  embryo.  When 
we  see  men  like  Marshall  graduating  at  his  right  hand, 
with  no  other  courses  than  the  simple  man  of  God  who 
had  left  the  refinements  of  civilization  for  the  wilder- 
ness taught,  and  with  no  other  diploma  but  his  bene- 
diction, we  may  indeed  stop  to  honor  their  labors. 
Let  the  name  of  the  American  missionary  of  the  colo- 
nial and  revolutionary  age  suggest  something  more  to 
the  student  of  our  history  than  the  limited  notion  of  a 
combatant  with  heathenism  and  vice.  He  was  also  the 
companion  and  guide  to  genius  and  virtue.  When  the 
memorials  of  those  days  are  written,  let  his  name  be 
recorded,  in  no  insignificant  or  feeble  letters,  on  the 
page  with  the  great  men  of  the  State  whom  his  talents 
and  presence  inspired.* 

The  ranks  of  the  clergy  of  the  Revolution 
included  many  stalwart  and  noble  characters, 
as  well  as  some  that  were  amusingly  eccentric. 
There  was  President  John  Witherspoon  of 
Princeton  College,  where  he  was  the  succes- 

* Duyckinck’s  Cyclopedia  of  American  Literature,  vol.  i. 
p.  421. 


CHURCHES  AND  CLERGY. 


149 


sor  of  Jonathan  Edwards,  a lineal  descendant 
of  John  Knox,  and  now  about  fifty  years  of 
age ; Dr.  Duffield,  ten  years  younger,  and 
since  1771  the  pastor  of  Old  Pine  Street 
Church  in  Philadelphia,  where  he  made  him- 
self so  conspicuous  for  devotion  to  the  patriot 
cause,  that  a price  was  put  upon  his  head  ; 
Mr.  Duche,  the  worthy  and  patriotic  Episco- 
palian of  Philadelphia,  who,  by  offering  extem- 
pore prayer  in  his  capacity  as  chaplain  to 
the  Continental  Congress,  verified  Samuel 
Adams’s  assurance  that  he  was  no  bigot, 
and  astonished  those  delegates  who  were 
“ dissenters  ; ” Dr.  Auchmuty,  who  ended 
his  twenty-nine  years  ministry  over  Trinity 
Church  in  New  York  in  1 777,  and  by  his 
loyalty  to  both  the  Church  and  State  of  Eng- 
land earned  the  degree  of  Doctor  of  Divinity 
from  the  University  of  Oxford  ; and  Dr.  Sea- 
bury,  also  of  New  York,  loyalist,  and  after  the 
Revolution  consecrated  the  first  Bishop  of 
the  Episcopal  Church  in  the  United  States. 
At  Elizabethtown,  N.J.,  was  the  Rev.  James 
Caldwell,  a Presbyterian,  of  Huguenot  de- 
scent, who,  in  the  attack  by  the  British  upon 


ISO  REVOLUTIONARY  TIMES . 

Springfield,  supplied  the  patriot  soldiers  with 
hymn-books  from  the  church  for  wadding,  ex- 
claiming, “ Now,  boys,  give  them  Watts  ! ” He 
it  was  whose  wife  was  so  cruelly  murdered  by 
the  British,  while  surrounded  by  her  nine  chil- 
dren. At  New  Haven,  Dr.  Ezra  Stiles  had 
just  succeeded  to  the  presidency  of  Yale  Col- 
lege. At  Cambridge,  Dr.  Langdon  presided 
over  Harvard.  In  Boston,  Dr.  Charles 
Chauncy  was  drawing  to  the  close  of  his 
sixty  years  ministry  over  the  First  Church, 
and  the  First  Baptist  Church  at  the  North 
End  had  for  its  pastor  Rev.  Dr.  Stillman. 
Dr.  Samuel  Cooper,  pastor  of  the  Brattle 
Street  Church,  was  pre-eminently  the  leading 
Boston  clergyman  of  the  day.  He,  too,  was 
a political  writer,  and  an  active  associate  of 
the  Adamses. 

The  odd  genius  of  the  Boston  pulpit,  or 
one  such,  was  Mather  Byles,  who  was  the 
first  pastor  of  the  Hollis  Street  Church,  and 
one  of  the  few  clergymen  of  New  England 
who  adhered  to  the  Crown  during  the  Revo- 
lution. There  is  almost  no  end  to  the  stories 
illustrating  his  wit,  which  was  of  a sort  that 


CHURCHES  AND  CLERGY.  1 5 I 

chiefly  expressed  itself  in  quips  and  puns. 
Thus,  when  one  day  he  descried  a couple  of 
the  Selectmen  with  their  chaise  mired  in  the 
unkempt  street  before  his  house,  he  said  to 
them,  “ Well,  gentlemen,  I am  glad  to  see  you 
stirring  in  this  matter  at  last.” 

In  character  and  career,  Rev.  Dr.  Emmons, 
of  Franklin,  Mass.,  was  one  of  the  most 
marked  men  of  his  times  ; yet  his  life  was  in 
good  measure  a representative  one,  and  the 
story  of  it  lets  us  well  into  a view  of  the  New 
England  interior  of  the  time.  He  was  a man 
of  methodical  habits,  as  most  all  the  fathers 
were.  He  divided  his  days  by  inflexible  rule, 
rising,  eating,  working,  exercising,  and  retir- 
ing at  fixed  hours,  which  changed  not.  In 
those  ordinarily  placid  days,  there  were  few  of 
the  interruptions  which  now  make  a regular 
routine  so  difficult,  if  not  impossible.  For 
more  than  half  a century  he  sat  in  the  same 
chair  in  his  study,  and  to  look  about  the  room 
was  to  see  at  once  the  spot  where  his  feet  in- 
variably rested.  The  wood  must  be  laid  on  his 
fire  just  so , the  wood-box  be  replenished  at 
such  a time,  the  visitor  must  enter  and  depart 


152 


REVOLUTIONARY  TIMES . 


by  a time-table,  and  every  peg  had  its  ap- 
pointed duty. 

Stern  as  was  the  faith,  and  rigid  as  was  the 
practice,  of  these  old  divines,  there  was  much 
humor  in  their  composition,  and  on  occasion 
they  could  crack  a joke  with  anybody.  Dr. 
Mather  Byles  was  not  the  only  punster  of  his 
times. 

It  was  a formidable  matter  then,  when  pas- 
torates often  lasted  a lifetime,  to  “call”  a 
minister.  The  church,  quite  likely,  took  an 
entire  day  for  its  action,  making  the  important 
occasion  a season  of  special  fasting  and  prayer. 
It  was  not  an  uncommon  thing  for  an  ordina- 
tion service  to  be  held,  weather  permitting,  in 
the  open  air,  meeting-houses  not  always  being 
large  enough  to  accommodate  the  curious  and 
reverent  throngs  which  would  assemble  thereto 
from  all  the  regions  roundabout.  The  com- 
mon range  of  a minister’s  salary  in  the  inland 
towns  of  New  England  was  from  $250  to  $400 
a year.  This  was  pieced  out  by  a gift  at  set- 
tlement, and  occasional  donations  afterward, 
and  sometimes  supplemented  by  grants  of 
cord-wood  or  other  produce  from  the  farms  of 


CHURCHES  AND  CLERGY. 


153 


his  parishioners.  Happy  was  he  who  received 
his  stipend  promptly  and  in  substantial  money  ! 

The  meeting-houses  of  both  town  and  coun- 
try suffered  greatly  during  the  war.  Such  as 
fell  into  the  hands  of  the  British  were  dese- 
crated without  scruple,  and  some  of  them  were 
plundered  or  even  altogether  destroyed.  Those 
which  were  spared  by  war  have  been  wasted 
by  time,  and  few  specimens  of  the  class 
remain. 

The  old  representative  meeting-house  was 
a huge  ungainly  block,  cubical,  or  nearly  so, 
two  stories  in  height,  furnished  within  with 
galleries,  and  without  with  a stunted  tower. 
The  pulpit  was  lofty,  reserved,  and  imposing, 
befitting  the  position  of  him  who  occupied  it. 
In  front  was  “ the  deacons’  seat,”  where  re- 
posed these  worthies  in  visible  emblem  of 
ecclesiastical  order  and  authority.  Over  the 
pulpit  was  the  sounding-board,  so  suspended 
as  to  reflect  the  preacher’s  voice  and  send  it 
forth  the  better  to  his  hearers.  The  pews  were 
large  square  boxes,  or  pens,  close-doored, 
high-walled,  and  railed  around  the  top.  Here- 
in the  families  of  the  congregation  gathered, 


154 


REVOLUTIONARY  TIMES. 


each  by  itself,  half  of  each  group  obliged,  of 
course,  to  sit  with  back  to  the  preacher.  The 
allotment  of  pews  was  often  a matter  not  of 
individual  choice,  but  of  parish  arrangement  ; 
and  the  “ seating  committee”  under  the  latter 
had  a difficult  and  delicate  work  to  perform. 
No  common  heat  was  provided  in  winter,  the 
individual  foot-stove  being  the  only  source  of 
warmth.  Cushions  and  carpets  were  “ vanity.” 
The  Sabbath  services  were  long  and  tedious, 
the  two  of  morning  and  afternoon  coming 
close  together,  with  only  a brief  intermission 
between,  which  there  was  no  Sabbath  school 
to  occupy.  The  scarcity  of  paper  often  com- 
pelled the  minister  to  preach  from  a manu- 
script so  closely  written  that  the  use  of  a 
magnifying  glass,  to  decipher  it  as  he  read, 
was  necessary.  There  was  no  public  read- 
ing of  the  Scriptures. 

Church  music  deserves  here  a paragraph 
by  itself.  There  bad  been  little  or  no  popular 
instruction  in  the  art  of  song,  and  there  was 
a very  limited  knowledge  of  sacred  tunes. 
Watts’s  “ Psalms  and  Hyms,”  “ Tate  and 
Brady’s  Collection,”  and  the  now  famous  “ Bay 


CHURCHES  AND  CLERGY. 


155 


Psalm  Book,”  were  the  only  hymn-books  in 
common  use;  and  the  word  “common”  must 
here  be  used  in  a very  restricted  sense.  The 
hymns*  were  usually  “ lined”  out  by  one  of 
the  deacons,  and  the  introduction  of  books 
into  church  use  was  effected  only  after  violent 
opposition.  The  printing  of  sacred  music 
had  but  just  begun.  Billings’s  singing-book, 
which  appeared  in  1770,  was  the  first  original 
publication  of  its  kind  in  the  country  ; and,  de- 
fective though  it  was,  it  led  to  a revolution  in 
the  methods  of  public  praise.  Armed  with 
this  weapon,  the  church  choir  rose  into  a rec- 
ognized position  ; and  the  “ lining  ” deacon, 
tenacious  of  his  privileges  to  the  last,  was 
compelled  to  subside.  The  new  system  was 
however  long  looked  upon  with  suspicion ; 
and  instruments,  even  the  sedate  bass-viol 
and  the  docile  fiddle,  had  to  fight  their  way 
to  respectability.  The  curious  pitchpipe  was 
depended  on  to  start  the  tune  ; and  as  for  the 
noble  organ,  that  was  looked  upon  in  some 
quarters  as  “ an  instrument  of  the  devil  for 
the  entrapping  of  men’s  souls,”  and  as  such 
was  for  a long  time  excluded  from  good  eccle- 
siastical society. 


156  RE  VOL  UTIONAR  Y TIMES . 


An  important  and  interesting  adjunct  of 
the  meeting-house,  in  some  parts  of  the  coun- 
try, was  the  “ Sabba’-Day  House/’  Comfort, 
being  carefully  shut  out  of  the  meeting-house 
itself,  was  only  thus  rudely  provided  for  in 
such  subordinate  structures.  The  Sabba’- 
Day  House  was  a family  affair,  generally  com- 
prising but  a single  apartment,  perhaps  fifteen 
feet  square,  with  windows % and  a fire-place. 
It  was  very  plainly  and  sparsely  furnished. 
Chairs  for  the  old  people  and  benches  for  the 
children  stood  round  the  walls,  and  a table  in 
the  centre  might  hold  the  Bible  and  a few 
religious  books  and  pamphlets  ; while  at  one 
side  shelves  contained  dishes  for  cooking  and 
eating.  Sometimes  the  Sabba’-Day  House  was 
mounted  above  a, shed,  within  which  the  horse 
could  be  sheltered.  A group  of  such  cabins 
standing  about  the  meeting-house  added  not 
a little  to  the  picturesqueness  of  the  spot,  and 
their  use  conduced  greatly  to  the  convenience 
and  comfort  of  Sabbath  worship,  especially 
in  winter.  The  family  able  to  keep  a Sabba’- 
Day  House  drove  directly  thither  on  Sabbath 
mornings,  warmed  themselves  up  by  a hot 


CHURCHES  AND  CLERGY. 


IS  7 


fire  without,  and  quite  likely  by  a hot  drink 
within  ; and  here  spent  the  intermission,  with 
further  wholesome  regard  for  the  wants  of  the 
inner  man.  The  better  class  of  these  Sabba- 
Day  Houses  were  whitewashed,  some  of  them 
were  double,  and  to  the  truth  of  history  it 
must  be  said  that  between  Sabbaths  they  oc- 
casionally furnished  the  wild  young  men  of 
the  parish  with  secure  haunts  for  unseemly 
carousals. 

Thanksgiving  and  Fast  were  the  chief  public 
religious  days.  A feature  of  the  religious  life 
of  Boston  was  the  Thursday  Lecture,  which 
on  one  occasion  of  Washington’s  attendance 
was  followed  by  an  “ elegant  dinner  at  the 
Bunch  of  Grapes  Tavern,  Provided  at  the 
Public  Expenfe,  when  Joy  and  gratitude  fat 
on  every  countenance  and  fmiled  in  every  eye.” 
Washington,  it  should  be  said,  though  a com- 
municant of  the  Church  of  England,  displayed 
a spirit  of  the  truest  catholicity  in  relig- 
ious matters.  When  in  Morristown,  N.J., 
learning  that  the  sacrament  was  to  be  ob- 
served in  the  Presbyterian  Church  upon  the 
following  Sabbath,  he  called  upon  its  pastor, 


158  RE  VOL  UTIONA  R Y TIMES. 


Rev.  Dr.  Jones,  and  asked  whether  communi- 
cants of  another  denomination  would  be  per- 
mitted to  join. 

“ Most  certainly/'  was  the  reply  : “ ours  is 
not  the  Presbyterian  table,  General,  but  the 
Lord's  ; and  hence  we  give  the  Lord’s  invita- 
tion to  all  his  followers,  of  whatever’name." 

“ I am  glad  of  it,"  said  Washington  : “ that 
is  as  it  ought  to  be  ; but,  as  I was  not  sure  of 
the  fact,  I thought  I would  ascertain  it  from 
yourself,  as  I propose  to  join  with  you  on  that 
occasion.  Though  a member  of  the  Church 
of  England,  I have  no  exclusive  partialities." 

Some  of  the  most  picturesque  and  truly 
historic  churches  of  the  country  were  those 
of  its  central  and  southern  portions.  Here, 
for  instance,  was  the  Dutch  church  of  Flat- 
bush,  Long  Island ; a stone  edifice  in  the 
form  of  a parallelogram,  sixty-five  feet  by 
fifty,  square-roofed,  and  holding  a bell  in  its 
small  steeple.  The  gallery  across  its  eastern 
end  wTas  divided  into  two  sections,  one  set 
apart  for  the  slaves,  the  other  for  poor  whites 
and  strangers.  Its  windows  were  of  small 
stained  glass,  set  in  lead  ; and  under  the  build- 


CHURCHES  AND  CLERGY. 


159 


ing  were  vaults  for  the  burial  of  the  dead.  In 
Virginia,  seven  miles  south-west  from  Mount 
Vernon,  stood  Pohick  Church,  to  us  now  of 
special  sacredness  as  having  been  the  place 
of  Washington’s  attendance.  Its  recent  sore 
dilapidations  have  been  repaired,  and  the  hon- 
ored edifice  is  in  a measure  restored  to  its  old 
condition.  In  its  prime,  it  was  a plain  but 
stately  house,  unecclesiastical  in  its  appear- 
ance, but  dignified  by  an  elaborate  pulpit,  and 
fitted  with  the  square  pews  of  the  time  with 
seats  upon  their  three  sides. 

In  South  Carolina,  in  the  village  of  Dor- 
chester, the  home  of*  the  Massachusetts  colo- 
nists, was  the  Old  White  Meeting-House, 
long  since  abandoned  ; and  in  the  same  town 
St.  George’s  Church,  a pretentious,  cruciform 
building  of  brick,  with  Gothic  windows,  to 
which  the  ladies  drove  of  a Sunday  morning 
in  their  chaises,  convoyed  by  gentlemen  on 
horse-back,  with  swords  hanging  by  their 
sides. 

There  are  many  of  these  ruined  churches 
of  a hundred  years  ago  now  scattered  through 
the  South,  and  it  were  well  if  present  impulse 


i6o 


REVOLUTIONARY  TIMES . 


should  lead  to  their  recovery  and  preserva- 
tion. 

The  clergy  of  Revolutionary  times,  it  should 
be  remarked  again,  as  we  take  leave  of  them 
and  of  their  churches,  were  men  of  great  in- 
telligence and  unsurpassed  influence ; and 
much  more  distinctly  a class  by  themselves 
than  now.  They  were  regarded  with  a rever- 
ence, not  to  say  awe,  wholly  foreign  to  the 
mind  at  this  present  day.  The  meeting- 
houses in  which  they  preached  were  the  true 
cradles  of  national  liberty  and  virtue ; and 
their  own  figures  are  among  the  noblest  and 
most  striking  in  all  the  group  of  worthies  now 
passing  in  review. 


PROFESSIONS  AND  TRADES.  l6l 


X. 

PROFESSIONS  AND  TRADES. 

The  industrial  interests  of  the  country  were 
chiefly  agricultural.  Manufactures  had  only 
just  begun  to  feel  the  impulse  of  the  troubles 
with  the  mother  country,  and,  with  the  im- 
mense mechanical  developments  of  the  pres- 
ent century  yet  far  in  the  future,  were  in 
their  earliest  infancy.  The  New  England 
farm  and  the  Southern  plantation  were  the 
representative  investments  of  the  people  in 
the  tillage  of  the  soil. 

A recently  published  letter  of  General  Rich- 
ard Montgomery,  of  Revolutionary  fame,  gives 
an  interesting  account  of  his  farm  in  West- 
chester, N.Y.,  as  it  stood  in  1773.  It  was 
doubtless,  in  the  general,  a fair  sample  of  pos- 
sessions of  this  description.  It  consisted  of 
about  seventy  acres,  with  fresh  and  salt 
meadow  in  uncommon  proportion,  and  a good 
orchard.  The  seven  acres  of  salt  meadow 


i62 


REVOLUTIONARY  TIMES . 


were  mostly  covered  with  black  grass,  con- 
sidered “ a very  great  source  of  improvement 
to  the  farmer.”  The  nearly  nine  acres  of 
fresh  meadow  once  constituted  a rich  black 
swamp,  which  had  been  drained  at  consider- 
able expense.  The  woodland,  embracing 
about  the  same  area  as  the  meadow,  was 
swampy,  and  susceptible  of  being  as  easily 
transferred  into  meadow.  The  advantages  of 
excellent  fish  and  oysters  to  be  had  near  by 
were  esteemed  an  important  consideration. 
The  dwelling-house  (which  had  just  been  new- 
roofed)  was  on  the  “ eastern  road,”  and  con- 
veniently situated  for  an  inn  or  a store,  either 
of  which  enterprises  was  much  “ wanted  in 
that  part  of  the  country  ; ” while  the  prem- 
ises further  afforded  “a  very  fine  situation 
for  a gentleman  to  build  upon,”  the  neighbor- 
hood being  “ desirable,”  and  but  fifteen  miles 
from  New  York.  For  this  property  the  owner 
asked  the  price  of  ^650,  though  he  inti- 
mated that  his  “ bottom  price  ” would  be 
£600. 

The  thrifty  farmer  in  these  times  had  the 
benefit  of  neither  agricultural  newspaper  nor 


PROFESSIONS  AND  TRADES.  1 63 


agricultural  society.  He  thought  out  his  own 
theories,  if  he  ventured  into  theories  at  all. 
If  he  were  of  independent  and  courageous 
habit,  he  was  just  beginning  to  experiment 
with  artificial  fertilizers.  If  he  had  been  pros- 
perous, and  had  acquired  lands  and  stock  in 
abundance,  he  would  let  out  portions  of  the 
former  on  shares,  and  some  of  the  latter  by  the 
six  months  or  the  year,  receiving  hire  for  his 
cows  in  cheese  and  butter.  He  usually  kept 
two  or  three  hired  men  all  the  year  round, 
and  sufficient  “ extra  ” hands  during  the  sum- 
mer, receiving  them  to  his  table,  and  treating 
them  in  all  respects  as  members  of  his  family. 
Twenty  pounds  was  a price  in  1776  for  a six 
months’  term  of  labor  ; a price  that  expressed 
in  part  the  increase  of  the  demand  over  the 
supply,  and,  in  part,  the  depreciation  of  the 
currency.  Dr.  Wheelock,  breaking  ground  for 
Dartmouth  College  in  the  New  Hampshire 
wilderness,  paid  his  men  three  or  four  shillings 
a day  ; and  the  kitchen  girl  received  about  the 
same  amount  a week. 

The  necessities  of  the  war  created  some 
rude  manufactures  of  saltpetre,  powder,  and 


1 64  REVOLUTIONARY  TIMES. 


weapons  small  and  great  ; but  for  the  most 
part  trades  were  confined  to  the  production 
of  small-wares  for  domestic  use,  — tin,  wooden, 
and  of  similar  description.  In  the  “ New 
England  Chronicle,”  of  June  i,  1775,  Mr. 
John  Clarke  “ Begs  leave  to  inform  the  Pub- 
lic, that  he  is  removed  from  the  Manufactory 
in  Bofton  to  Concord,  about  a Quarter  of  a 
Mile  Eaft  of  the  Meeting-Houfe,  on  the  great 
Road  to  Bofton,  where  he  carries  on  the  But- 
ton-making Bufinefs  as  ufual,  and  hopes  the 
Favour  of  his  Former  and  other  Cuftomers. 
Good  ftrong  Buttons  with  iron  Eyes  and  Bot- 
toms for  Six  Shillings  O.  T.  per  Dozen  with 
the  following  Motto,  — Union  and  Liberty  in 
all  America.  N.B.  Said  Clarke  makes  any 
Quantity  of  Buttons  on  timely  Notice,  as 
cheap  and  as  good  as  thofe  in  London/’ 

The  lady-reader  may  like  to  take  a peep 
into  a shop  of  the  period,  as  depicted  in  the 
following  advertisement  in  the  “ New  England 
Chronicle,”  for  Aug.  24,  1775  : — 

BROADCLOTHS. 

There  is  for  Sale,  at  BICKER’S  Shop,  in  Cam- 
bridge, near  the  Houfe  formerly  improved  by  Mr 
Bradifh,  as  a Tavern, 


PROFESSIONS  AND  TRADES.  165 


A Fine  Affortment  of  blue,  and  other  colour’d  Broad 
Cloths,  with  Trimmings  to  match,  with  a good  Affort- 
ment of  Checks,  Linens  ; filk,  cotton  and  linen  Hand- 
kerchiefs, Bed-Ticks,  Corduroys,  striped  Hollands, 
Velvit  and  Velverets,  Ratteens,  Serges,  Diapers,  Cam- 
bricks,  Lawns,  worfted  Hose,  Breeches  Patterns  of 
moft  Colours,  Cambleteens,  Sewing  Silks,  Twill, 
Threads,  Buckrams,  Quality  Binding,  Crewels,  Tapes, 
Needles,  Pen  and  Jack  Knives,  Shoe  and  Knee  Buc- 
kles, Felt  Hats,  Loaf  Sugar  by  hundred  or  less,  Lynn 
Shoes,  Ribbons  Nonefopretties,  gold  and  silver  Lace, 
gold  Buttons  and  Loops,  fuitable  for  Hats,  with  a vari- 
ety of  other  Articles. 

The  legal  profession  shared  the  eminence 
of  the  ministerial,  and  was  then  as  now  a path 
to  fame  and  fortune.  Judges  held  court  in 
circuits,  and  the  lawyers  travelled  with  them. 
“The  country,”  wrote  John  Adams,  from 
York,  Me.,  in  1774,  “is  the  situation  to  make 
estates  by  the  law.”  And  in  proof  of  the 
affirmation  he  cites  the  case  of  John  Sullivan, 
of  Durham,  N.H.,  “who  began  with  nothing, 
but  is  now  said  to  be  worth  ten  thousand 
pounds  lawful  money,  his  brother  James  al- 
lows five  or  six,  or  perhaps  seven,  thousand 
pounds,  consisting  in  houses  and  lands,  notes, 


REVOLUTIONARY  TIMES. 


1 66 


bonds,  and  mortgages.  He  has  a fine  stream 
of  water,  with  an  excellent  corn-mill,  saw- 
mill, fulling-mill,  scythe-mill,  and  others,  in 
all  six  mills,  which  are  both  his  delight  and 
his  profit.”  It  certainly  could  not  have  been 
by  his  proper  professional  fees  alone  that  the 
lawyer  of  that  time  grew  rich.  Eight  dollars 
was  a common  fee  in  an  important  case,  five 
for  a jury  argument,  and  smaller  sums  for 
smaller  services.  In  North  Carolina,  the  legal 
fee  for  drawing  a deed  was  one  dollar;  to 
charge  five,  as  some  of  the  leeches  of  the  pro- 
fession did,  was  an  outrageous  extortion. 

An  interesting  feature  of  legal  life  in  New 
York  was  a club  of  lawyers,  known  as  “ The 
Moot.”  Its  regular  meetings  were  devoted 
to  the  discussion  of  professional  questions 
purely.  Its  first  president  was  William  Liv- 
ingston ; and  its  first  secretary,  Samuel  Jones, 
was  succeeded  by  Mr.  Jay.  The  elder  mem- 
bers of  the  bar  participated  with  the  younger 
in  the  proceedings  of  “ The  Moot,”  and  a feel- 
ing of  entire  fraternity  prevailed  among  all. 
No  one  was  allowed  to  introduce  political 
topics  of  the  province,  and  to  persist  in  such 


PROFESSIONS  AND  TRADES . 16/ 


an  offence  was  to  invite  expulsion.  Great 
weight  was  attached  to  the  opinions  enounced 
in  the  meetings,  so  great  as  to  constitute  it 
almost  “ a court  of  last  resort.” 

This  glance  at  the  professional  occupations 
of  the  people  would  be  imperfect  without  a 
tribute  to  the  painters  of  the  period,  the  list 
of  which  includes  names  that  must  remain 
forever  pre-eminent  in  the  history  of  Amer- 
ican art.  The  skilled  engravers  of  the  coun- 
try could  be  counted  on  the  fingers  of  one 
hand  with  two  fingers  to  spare,  the  famous 
Paul  Revere  being  chief  among  them.  He  it 
was  who  engraved  the  plates  in  1775  for  the 
paper  money  ordered  by  the  Provincial  Con- 
gress, and  afterwards  for  the  first  issue  of 
Continental  money  directed  by  the  general 
Congress.  The  circle  of  painters  was  more 
numerous,  and  the  works  which  they  have 
left  are  among  our  most  highly  prized  memo- 
rials of  Revolutionary  times.  Portraiture  was 
the  favorite  field  of  achievement,  with  an 
occasional  attempt  at  historic  groups  and 
scenes. 

Easily  at  the  head  of  American  artists  at 


REVOLUTIONARY  TIMES: 


1 68 


the  time  immediately  preceding  the  Revolu- 
tion was  John  S.  Copley.  Copley  lived  in 
Boston,  where  he  was  born  ; his  estate  on 
Beacon  Street,  now  marked  by  the  Somerset 
Club  House,  being  one  of  the  largest  and 
finest  in  the  town.  He  is  described  as  a 
handsome  man,  of  showy  tastes ; and  his 
striking  portraits  were  eagerly  sought  for  by 
all  the  old  families.  He  had  few  early  advan- 
tages and  little  training,  and  his  successes 
were  purely  the  fruits  of  real  genius.  As  the 
war  came  on,  greatly  to  the  interruption  of 
his  work,  he  removed  to  England  ; but  he  left 
behind  him  the  productions  of  many  busy 
years,  which  are  scattered  “ from  Maine  to 
Georgia.”  To  own  a family  Copley  is  almost 
a patent  of  American  nobility.  His  portraits 
were  usually  large,  painted  with  considerable 
regard  to  drapery  and  costume,  and,  if  open 
to  criticism  as  inclining  to  stiffness,  were 
remarkable  for  their  coloring. 

Charles  W.  Peale,  the  father  of  Rembrandt 
Peale,  a Marylander,  was  returning  from  Eng- 
land, where  he  had  spent  several  years  in 
study,  at  just  about  the  time  that  Copley  was 


PROFESSIONS  AND  TRADES.  l6g 


going  thither ; and,  having  first  served  briefly 
in  the  American  army,  settled  in  Philadel- 
phia, and  in  a measure  succeeded  to  Copley’s 
place  and  fame.  He  had  been  a pupil  of 
Copley’s  before  going  abroad.  John  Adams, 
visiting  his  studio  in  1776,  found  therein  a 
large  variety  of  portraits  and  sketches.  Peale 
painted  no  less  than  fourteen  portraits  of 
Washington,  and  had  for  sitters  so  large  a 
number  of  the  public  men  of  the  time  as  to 
suggest  to  him  the  formation  of  a national 
gallery.  His  residence  in  Philadelphia  was 
greatly  promotive  of  the  taste  for  the  fine  arts 
in  that  city. 

Then  there  were  John  Trumbull,  who  also 
studied  with  Copley,  and  who  had  for  his 
studio  in  Boston  the  very  room  which  Smi- 
bert,  a still  earlier  artist  of  considerable  fame, 
had  consecrated  by  his  brush  ; the  eccentric 
Gilbert  Stuart,  who  was  with  Trumbull  a 
pupil  of  Benjamin  West  in  London,  and  like 
Trumbull  was  at  only  the  beginning  of  his 
artistic  life  a hundred  years  ago  ; and  Ben- 
jamin West  himself,  who  though  an  Amer- 
ican, and  belonging  to  this  period,  lived  so 


170 


REVOLUTIONARY  TIMES. 


long  abroad  that  he  hardly  belongs  to  this 
group  of  American  painters.  And  of  minor 
artists  there  were  not  a few,  many  of  whose 
portraits  still  hang  in  the  old  houses  of  the 
land. 


NOTABLE  MEN  AND  WOMEN  17* 


XI. 


THE  MEN  AND  WOMEN  OF  THE  REV- 
OLUTION. 

Our  survey  of  Revolutionary  times  would 
be  incomplete  without  a rapid  glance  at 
some  of  the  prominent  people  who  adorned 
them,  and  who  helped  to  make  them  what 
they  were.  We  have  mapped  out  the  country, 
enumerated  the  important  cities  and  towns, 
and  travelled  about  among  them.  It  remains 
to  ask  : Who  distinguished  those  interesting 
localities  by  their  residence  ? Who  beside 
the  clergy  were  the  men  of  public  influence  ? 
Who  were  attending  the  old  churches  and 
reading  the  old  newspapers  ? 

There  are  two  groups  of  notabilities  who 
stand  projected  against  the  scenes  and  events 
of  1776,  one  military,  the  other  civilian  ; and, 
as  it  is  a time  of  war,  we  will  take  the  former 
first. 


172 


REVOLUTIONARY  TIMES . 


The  pre-eminent  military  personage  of  1776 
was  of  course  General  George  Washington. 
Washington  was  now  forty-four  years  of  age. 
He  exceeded  six  feet  in  height,  and  his  com- 
manding physical  presence  was  paralleled  by 
a noble  and  dignified  mien.  His  face  was 
pitted  with  the  small-pox,  but  exhibited  strong 
features  and  a florid  complexion.  His  eyes 
were  blue,  and  his  hair  was  brown.  Bodily, 
mental,  and  moral  qualities,  each  of  the  high- 
est excellence,  blended  in  him  in  striking 
harmony  and  symmetry.  He  possessed  im- 
mense physical  strength,  an  indomitable  cour- 
age, and  a moral  sense  of  singular  purity. 
His  power  of  self-control  was  remarkable, 
when  it  is  considered  how  deep  and  powerful 
were  the  passions  of  his  nature.  His  per- 
sonal habits  were  irreproachable  ; a judicious 
temperance  giving  tone  to  his  whole  life.  His 
military  uniform  was  a blue  coat  with  buff 
facings,  buff  waistcoat  and  breeches,  rich 
epaulets,  and  a handsome  small  sword.  He 
also  carried  a pair  of  pistols,  and  sometimes 
wore  across  his  breast,  between  his  coat  and 
waistcoat,  a light  blue  ribbon.  His  personal 


NOTABLE  MEN  AND  WOMEN  1 73 


tastes  were  simple  and  unostentatious  ; but  he 
nevertheless  ordered  his  official  life  and  com- 
posed his  military  household  with  consider- 
able form  and  etiquette. 

A prominent,  if  not  the  foremost,  place  by 
the  side  of  Washington  belonged  to  General 
Nathaniel  Greene,  now  but  thirty-six  years 
old  ; a man  rather  above  the  common  size, 
with  a tendency  to  corpulency  in  his  figure  ; 
of  fair  and  florid  complexion  ; of  gentle  dis- 
position and  serene  in  manner.  Then  there 
were  General  Artemas  Ward,  whose  connec- 
tion with  the  army  closed  this  year,  he  being 
at  the  age  of  forty-nine  ; General  John  Stark, 
the  hero  of  the  Battle  of  Bennington,  aged 
forty-eight ; General  Israel  Putnam,  forty- 
eight  ; General  Horatio  Gates,  forty-eight ; 
General  Charles  Lee,  the  eccentric  English- 
man, forty-five  ; General  Philip  Schuyler,  forty- 
three  ; General  John  Sullivan,  thirty-six;  and 
General  Henry  Knox,  one  of  the  most  brilliant 
as  he  was  one  of  the  youngest  of  the  Revolu- 
tionary officers,  twenty-six.  A no  less  dis- 
tinguished place  in  this  group  belonged  to 
Montgomery,  who  had  fallen  at  Quebec  in 


174 


REVOLUTIONARY  TIMES . 


December,  1775  ; had  he  lived,  he  would  now 
have  reached  his  thirty-eighth  year. 

The  foreign  officers  were  a set  by  them- 
selves. Lafayette,  now  but  nineteen  years 
of  age,  was  accounted  one  of  the  handsome 
men  of  the  army.  His  forehead  receded,  his 
features  were  small  and  delicate,  and  a promi- 
nent feature  was  his  deep  red  hair.  The 
Baron  Steuben  was  a much  older  man,  being 
forty-five.  So  was  De  Kalb,  who  was  about 
forty-four.  Pulaski  was  thirty-nine,  while 
Kosciuszko  was  but  thirty. 

Looked  at  together,  the  striking  character- 
istic of  all  these  Revolutionary  officers  is  their 
youthfulness,  their  average  age  being  a trifle 
under  forty. 

Turning  now  to  the  civilians,  the  eye  first 
rests  perhaps  upon  Benjamin  Franklin,  the 
oldest  as  he  was  the  greatest  of  them  all ; a 
man  of  strong  and  well-knit  frame,  in  stature 
an  inch  or  two  short  of  six  feet,  of  light  com- 
plexion and  gray  eyes,  and  with  hair  hanging 
thickly  upon  his  shoulders.  At  his  right 
hand  we  may  place  the  short,  stout,  and  sturdy 
John  Adams,  only  forty-one,  of  prominent 


NOTABLE  MEN  AND  WOMEN.  175 


forehead,  benignant  eye,  firm  mouth,  and  ear- 
nest expression  ; and  at  his  left  the  magnetic 
Jefferson,  who  when  he  penned  the  immortal 
Declaration  was  but  thirty-three  years  of  age, 
tall,  graceful,  red-haired,  and  blue-eyed.  The 
famous  Samuel  Adams  was  older  than  these 
last  associates,  having  reached  the  age  of  fifty- 
four;  a man  of  common  size,  but  of  muscu- 
lar form,  erect,  fair,  and  serious  in  manner. 
Alexander  Hamilton,  again,  was  the  youth 
among  the  statesmen,  being  not  twenty  years 
old  when  his  public  debates  and  powerful 
pamphlets  began  to  give  him  an  influential 
place  among  the  Revolutionary  leaders. 
Hamilton  was  under  rather  than  above  the 
middle  size,  spare  in  figure,  graceful  in  move- 
ment, and  courtly  in  manner ; his  general  air 
one  of  uncommon  delicacy  and  refinement. 
John  Hancock,  President  of  the  Continental 
Congress,  whose  signature  first  subscribes 
the  Declaration,  was  but  thirty-nine,  a man 
of  fine  presence  and  polished  address.  Then 
there  were  stern  Roger  Sherman,  one  of  the 
elders,  fifty-five,  and  Oliver  Wolcott,  fifty,  both 
of  Connecticut ; the  elegant  Philip  Livingston, 


176 


REVOLUTIONARY  TIMES. 


of  New  York,  sixty  ; Robert  Morris,  of  Penn- 
sylvania, forty-three  ; Caesar  Rodney,  of  Del- 
aware, forty-six ; Samuel  Chase,  thirty-five, 
and  Charles  Carroll,  thirty-nine,  both' of  Mary- 
land ; Richard  Henry  Lee,  of  Virginia,  forty- 
four;  Edward  Rutledge,  of  South  Carolina, 
twenty-seven  ; and  Button  Gwinnett,  of  Geor- 
gia, forty-four.  All  of  these  last-named 
were  signers  of  the  Declaration  of  Independ- 
ence. Dr.  Witherspoon,  of  New  Jersey,  an- 
other important  member  of  the  Continental 
Congress,  was  a man  of  impressive  personal 
appearance  ; and  his  strong  Scotch  accent  and 
ardent  manner  gave  great  charm  to  his  public 
utterance.  Charles  Thompson,  the  notable 
secretary  of  the  body,  was  a tall  and  well-pro- 
portioned man,  but  spare  in  countenance,  and 
crowned  with  erect  white  hair.  Associated 
with  the  foregoing  in  the  Congress,  but  by 
intention  not  a signer  of  the  Declaration,  was 
John  Dickinson  of  Pennsylvania,  better  known 
as  “The  Farmer,”  under  which  soubriquet 
he  wrote  much  and  influentially  in  favor  of 
the  war.  He  was  now  forty-four  years  old. 
And  there  were  other  men  of  power  and  mark 


NOTABLE  MEN  AND  WOMEN  1 77 


not  included  with  the  distinguished  represen- 
tatives who  met  at  Philadelphia  : such  as  the 
pre-eminent  Patrick  Henry,  of  Virginia,  most 
powerful  of  all  the  orators  of  the  Revolution, 
now  forty  years  of  age,  a tall,  spare,  awk- 
ward-looking man,  whose  presence,  when  in- 
flamed with  the  fire  of  his  genius,  yet  became 
majestic  and  imposing;  Jonathan  Trumbull, 
of  Connecticut,  now  sixty-six,  the  great  “ war 
governor  ” of  his  time,  on  whom  Washington 
relied  as  “ one  of  his  main  pillars  of  support ; ” * 
Christopher  Gadsden,  of  South  Carolina,  one 
of  the  most  zealous  of  the  patriots,  now  fifty- 
two  ; Charles  Cotesworth  Pinckney,  of  the 
same  State  as  Gadsden,  a captain  in  the  regi- 
ment of  which  Gadsden  was  colonel,  like  him 
a man  of  lofty  character  and  elegant  tastes, 
and  now  just  thirty  years  of  age  ; and  David 
Rittenhouse,  of  Philadelphia,  a man  of  a sci- 
entific turn,  whose  Revolutionary  services  were 
of  a peaceful  and  philosophic  character,  now 
forty-four. 

* It  is  said  that  the  designation  “ Brother  Jonathan,”  as 
applied  to  the  personified  American  people,  grew  out  of 
Washington’s  frequent  remark  concerning  Governor  Trum- 
bull : “Let  us  hear  what  brother  Jonathan  says.” 

12 


178  REVOLUTIONARY  TIMES . 


Last  of  all  there  was  that  group  upon  whom 
the  shadows  rest:  including  Benedict  Arnold, 
who  was  only  thirty-six  at  the  time  of  which 
we  speak ; and  Aaron  Burr,  who  was  then  but 
twenty,  and  only  four  years  out  of  Princeton 
College. 

With  a few  exceptions,  the  women  of  the 
Revolution  are  to  be  spoken  of  more  conven- 
iently in  the  mass  than  as  individuals.  Mrs. 
Mercy  Warren,  whose  name  has  already  had 
mention  upon  the  literary  page,  was  foremost 
among  the  intellectual  representatives  of  her 
sex ; and  her  scholarship,  patriotism,  and 
strength  of  character  gave  her  really  a com- 
manding position.  Her  correspondence  was 
extensive,  and  her  counsel  was  frequently 
sought  in  private  by  the  statesmen  in  conduct 
of  affairs.  Mrs.  General  Knox,  who  was  a 
daughter  of  Thomas  Flucker,  a royal  secretary 
of  Massachusetts,  was  a conspicuous  figure, 
no  less  for  her  vigor  and  independence  of 
mind  and  originality  of  habit,  than  for  her 
imposing  personal  appearance  and  dignified 
address.  She  was  a recognized  leader  in 
society,  and  turned  her  admitted  ascendency 


NOTABLE  MEN  AND  WOMEN  1 79 


to  good  account ; but  regretted,  it  is  said,  in 
after  years  her  engrossment  with  public  af- 
fairs, declaring  that,  if  she  could  live  her  life 
over  again,  she  “ would  be  more  of  a wife, 
more  of  a mother,  more  of  a woman.”  Mrs. 
General  Greene,  who  was  Catherine  Little- 
field, of  Block  Island,  like  Mrs.  Knox  shared 
with  her  husband  the  perils  and  hardships  of 
campaign  life.  Many  brilliant  qualities  earned 
for  her  high  distinction  and  wide  influence  ; 
and  she  is  specially  remembered  from  the 
fact  that  it  was  at  her  house  in  Georgia,  and 
under  her  encouragement,  that  Eli  Whitney 
produced  his  famous  cotton-gin.  With  pecu- 
liar admiration  one  looks  back  to  such  a wo- 
man as  Mrs.  Mary  Draper  of  Dedham,  in 
Massachusetts,  who  was  a whole  “ relief  com- 
mittee ” in  herself,  and  converted  her  own 
premises  into  a perfect  “ soldiers’  rest.”  At 
the  outbreak  of  the  war,  when  the  patriots  of 
New  England  were  hastening  to  arms,  she 
organized  her  household  into  a bakery,  put 
her  huge  ovens  in  full  blast,  spread  a long 
table  by  the  road-side,  and  kept  it  bounteously 
supplied  with  pans  of  bread  and  cheese  and 


i So 


REVOLUTIONARY  TIMES . 


tubs  of  cider ; so,  day  after  day,  supplying 
the  needs  of  hungry  men,  as  they  marched  by 
on  the  way  to  Boston. 

There  is  one  woman  of  the  Revolutionary 
times  whose  name  we  hold  in  most  reverent 
remembrance  : this  was  the  mother  of  Wash- 
ington. No  portrait  of  her  is  in  existence  ; 
and  her  only  memoir  is  that  by  G.  W.  P.  Cus- 
tis,  which  Mrs.  Ellet  has  effectively  epito- 
mized. Her  moral  nature  was  predominant, 
but  her  intellectual  strength  gave  her  the 
right  to  rule  in  her  world,  while  simplicity  and 
■sweetness  unfailing  characterized  her  manner 
and  her  spirit.  Her  tastes  were  domestic, 
her  habits  were  industrious  and  exact,  and 
her  piety  consecrated  a secluded  spot  among 
the  rocks  and  trees  near  her  house  as  her 
place  of  prayer. 

To  the  women  of  the  Revolution,  as  a class, 
sentiment  and  custom  did  not  allow  the  posi- 
tions of  public  service  which  in  a measure  they 
now  enjoy  ; but  no  patriotism  could  be  more 
ardent,  no  courage  firmer,  no  spirit  of  sacri- 
fice heartier  than  was  theirs.  They  were  the 
heroines  of  many  serious  frolics,  the  accounts 


NOTABLE  MEN  AND  WOMEN,  l8l 


of  which  are  important  contributions  to  the 
inner  history  of  the  times.  Thus,  once  at  a 
quilting-bee  at  Kinderhook,  N.Y.,  the  only 
young  man  in  the  company  ventured  some 
aspersions  upon  the  Congress,  in  session  at 
the  time  in  Philadelphia,  and  continued  the 
offence  until  the  girls  could  brook  it  no  longer. 
Laying  hold  of  him  with  one  consent,  they 
stripped  him  to  the  waist,  coated  him  with 
molasses  in  lieu  of  tar,  flecked  him  with 
flag-down  in  lieu  of  feathers,  and  then  let  him 
go.  And  one  of  these  girls  was  a parson’s 
daughter ! The  young  ladies  of  Amelia 
County,  Virginia,  moved  by  the  emergency  of 
their  country,  entered  into  a compact  “ not  to 
receive  the  addresses  of  any  person,  be  his 
circumstances  or  situation  in  life  what  they 
will,  unless  he  has  served  in  the  American 
armies  long  enough  to  prove  by  his  valor  that 
he  is  deserving  of  their  love.” 

The  patriotic  fervor  of  a daughter  of  the 
Revolutionary  period  is  well  illustrated  by  a 
letter  which  is  printed  in  the  “ Continental 
Journal,”  of  Sept.  25,  1777.  It  was  written 
by  a young  lady  of  sixteen  to  her  brother 


1 82 


REVOLUTIONARY  TIMES . 


at  Fort  Washington,  and,  falling  into  the 
hands  of  an  officer,  so  pleased  him  by  its 
noble  tenor  that  he  gave  out  copies  of  it  for 
publication*  It  is  as  follows  : — 

Bojion , 23 d Sept .,  1776. 

Dear  Billy, — 

What  news  ? would  be  the  firft  queflion  you’d  afk 
could  I fee  you.  I anfwer  by  way  of  letter,  none  at  all. 
The  next  is,  how  do  you  do  ? I anfwer  very  well ; 
how  do  you  do  ? Methinks  I hear  your  comparatively 
feeble  voice  famed  for  the  noife  of  battle  ; Betfy,  I am 
well,  happy  accents  they  are  — I fancy  I indulge  a 
pleafing  reverie  that  you  are  now  flaking  the  foe  ; how 
happy  Ihould  I be,  to  hear  that  my  brother  was  the 
firft  who  rufhed  on  to  defperate  battle.  Never  let  the 
name  of raife  a blufh  on  his  filler’s  cheek ; re- 

member from  me  that  I am  your  filler,  that  my  hap- 
pinefs  depends  on  your  good  behaviour.  Return 
victorious,  or  return  no  more.  Rather  than  hear  that 
you  was  a coward,  or  a timid  afferter  of  the  rights  of 
your  Country;  I had  rather  hear  that  leaden  death  had 
difmantled  your  fpirited  foul,  and  fent  it  murmuring  to 
the  Ikies.  I had  rather  be  obliged  to  llalk  the  mangled 
heaps  with  the  firmnefs  of  a grieved  daughter  of 
liberty,  in  fearch  of  the  crimfon’d  corps  of  my  brother, 
to  wafh  his  wounds  with  my  tears,  confcious  that  he 
was  fighting  for  me,  for  himfelf,  for  his  country  — I’d 
call  the  wondering  fpectators,  and  Ihew  your  corps, 


NOTABLE  MEN  AND  WOMEN.  183 


and  tell  them  with  aboafting  fmile  this  was  my  brother. 
But  flop,  I’ll  go  no  further — I hope  you  will  fight  and 
have  an  opportunity  of  feeing  the  ruin  of  your  Britifh 
foes  : your  hands  ftained  with  blood  of  Englilh  tyrants, 
fhall  procure  you  a lauriel  — that  time  {hall  never  brufli 
from  your  temples.  / a,7n , &*c. 

Often  a like  spirit  with  the  foregoing 
showed  itself  in  more  practical  ways,  as  in 
the  case  of  Emily  Geiger,  a young  South  Car- 
olinian maiden,  not  more  than  eighteen  years 
of  age,  who  under  perilous  circumstances  vol- 
unteered to  carry  a letter  from  General  Greene 
to  General  Sumter.  Greene,  fearing  that  the 
girl  might  lose  the  letter,  first  communicated 
its  contents  to  her,  and  she  then  set  forth 
upon  her  expedition,  mounted  on  a fleet  horse. 
On  the  second  day,  she  was  intercepted  by 
the  enemy’s  scouts,  suspected,  taken  to  a 
neighboring  house,  and  a woman  sent  for  to 
search  her  person.  While  the  woman  was 
coming,  she  ate  up  her  letter  piece  by  piece  ; 
and  the  search,  of  course,  was  fruitless.  She 
was  released,  and  proceeding  on  her  way 
reached  her  destination  in  safety,  and  commu- 
nicated her  errand. 


1 84  RE  VOL  UTIONA  R Y TIMES . 


XII. 

ODDS  AND  ENDS. 

It  only  remains,  to  complete  the  design  of 
these  pages,  to  set  down  here  by  themselves 
a few  items  of  interest  which  have  not  found 
an  orderly  admission  in  an  earlier  place. 

As  the  eye  passes  from  the  illustrious  in- 
dividuals of  Revolutionary  times,  it  may  well 
rest  for  a moment  upon  some  of  the  distin- 
guished families  whose  broad  estates  embel- 
lished the  landscape,  and  whose  successive 
generations  have  played  so  important  parts 
in  the  national  history.  Taking  the  country 
through,  the  aristocratic  idea  was  far  more 
dominant  then  than  now.  Many  scions  of 
old  English  households  had  been  transplanted 
to  the  American  soil,  in  the  hope  of  finding 
room  for  freer  and  fuller  growth  ; and  the 
immense  domains  to  be  had  almost  for  the 
asking  tempted  an  ambition  and  encouraged 


ODDS  AND  ENDS. 


185 

a taste  which  found  satisfaction  in  a life  laid 
out  only  on  the  most  elaborate  scale.  The 
inequalities  of  the  old  society  have  been 
evened  up  in  these  latter  days,  and  we  look 
almost  in  vain  for  those  great  and  proud  fami- 
lies whose  names  a hundred  years  ago  gave 
distinction  to  the  Colonies  they  had  helped  to 
settle  and  develop.  These  old  and  honorable 
names  were  especially  prominent  at  the  South. 
Among  them  were  the  Izards  and  Draytons 
of  South  Carolina,  the  eminent  and  influential 
William  Henry  Drayton  being  the  foremost 
representative  of  the  latter,  though  at  the 
time  of  his  death,  in  1779,  he  had  attained 
the  age  of  but  thirty-seven  years.  Drayton 
Hall,  the  family  seat,  was  an  imposing  man- 
sion in  the  English  style,  fronting  on  the 
Ashley  River,  built  some  thirty  years  before 
the  Revolution  at  a cost  of  $90,000.  It  was 
of  brick,  much  of  its  material  having  been 
imported  from  England,  and  was  largely  fin- 
ished within  in  panel  and  wainscot  of  solid 
mahogany. 

Another  representative  family  of  this  class 
is  found  in  the  Fairfaxes,  who  traced  their 


REVOLUTIONARY  TIMES . 


1 86 


descent  through  a long  line  of  English  lords, 
back  to  the  times  before  fhe  Conquest.  Their 
vast  estates  were  in  Virginia ; their  seat,  on 
the  banks  of  the  Potomac,  a few  miles  below 
Mount  Vernon,  was  named  “ Belvoir ; ” and 
Lord  Thomas  Fairfax  was  the  friend  and 
early  patron  of  Washington. 

Through  all  the  fabric  of  Revolutionary 
events  there  ran  the  thread  of  a peculiar 
misery  in  the  prevalence  of  the  small-pox, 
which  dread  malady  had  not  yet  found  its 
match  in  the  treatment  of  vaccination.  Not 
only  the  ranks  of  the  army,  but  the  homes  of 
the  people,  were  invaded  by  this  loathsome 
visitor,  and  its  devastations  were  terrible. 
Its  victims  were  counted  by  thousands,  and 
the  gloomy  fears  of  pestilence  intensified  the 
ordinary  horrors  of  war.  Nevertheless,  the 
superstitions  which  prevailed,  and  the  straits 
to  which  the  sufferers  were  driven,  gave  oc- 
casion for  some  humorous  situations.  Thus, 
a traveller  to  the  southward  mentions  that  at 
one  place  he  found  a woman  sitting  wrapped 
in  blankets,  by  a roaring  fire,  and  making  a 


ODDS  AND  ENDS . 


187 


night  of  it  in  that  fashion  ; her  intent  being 
“ to  sweat  out  the  small-pox.”  A far  funnier 
thing  than  this  must  have  been  a “ small-pox 
party,”  a glimpse  of  which  is  given  in  this 
extract  of  a letter  from  one  Joseph  Barrell, 
quoted  by  Mr.  Drake  from  Brewsters  History 
of  Portsmouth  : * — 

Mr.  Storer  has  invited  Mr.  Martin  to  take  the 
small-pox  at  his  house  : if  Mrs.  Wentworth  desires  to 
get  rid  of  her  pears  in  the  same  way,  we  will  accommo- 
date her  in  the  best  way  we  can.  I’ve  several  friends 
that  I’ve  invited,  and  none  of  them  will  be  more  wel- 
come than  Mrs.  W. 

Duelling,  though  prohibited  by  law,  was 
sustained  to  a considerable  degree  by  public 
sentiment;  and  several  notable  instances  of 
the  now  detested  practice  were  afforded  dur- 
ing the  Revolution.  General  Charles  Lee  was 
wounded  in  a duel  with  Colonel  John  Laurens, 
of  Washingtons  staff,  who  gave  the  challenge 
because  of  some  aspersions  which  he  had  cast 
upon  the  Commander-in-chief.  General  Con- 
way, the  instigator  of  the  conspiracy  against 
Washington,  known  as  the  “ Conway  Cabal,” 

* Old  Landmarks,  p.  389. 


1 88 


REVOLUTIONARY  TIMES . 


was  wounded  in  a duel  with  General  Cadwal- 
ader,  on  the  4th  of  July,  1778.  And  a year 
earlier  Button  Gwinnett,  one  of  the  signers 
of  the  Declaration,  was  killed  in  a duel  with 
General  McIntosh. 

Revolutionary  times  were  without  an  “ Old 
Probabilities,”  but  could  well  have  kept  him 
in  occupation  if  he  had  been  on  the  ground, 
provided  with  the  necessary  instruments  for 
gathering  his  reports  and  despatching  them. 
The  winter  of  1772-73  was  a very  mild  one. 
In  Falmouth,  Me.,  January  27th  was  set 
down  as  a summer  day,  and  no  snow  fell 
there  until  well  into  February.  The  winter 
of  1774-75  was  equally  remarkable  for  its 
mildness,  the  weather  being  so  warm  at  New 
York  in  February  that  boys  went  into  the 
river  to  swim.  For  such  deficiencies  in  cold, 
however,  the  winter  of  1779-80  made  full 
amends.  This  was  long  remembered  for  its 
severity,  and  earned  the  name  of  “ the  hard 
winter.”  The  country  was  buried  beneath  a 
mass  of  snow  that  at  times  rendered  the  roads 
utterly  impassable,  and  Long  Island  Sound 


ODDS  AND  ENDS. 


189 


was  almost  entirely  frozen  over.  Persons 
crossed  from  Long  Island  to  the  Connecticut 
shore  on  the  ice,  and  wood  was  brought  from 
the  same  quarter  to  New  York  in  sleighs. 

What  the  clerk  of  the  weather  would  have 
thought  of  the  “ Dark  Day,”  the  19th  of  May  in 
the  same  year,  1780,  it  is  difficult  to  say.  The 
phenomenon  was  a most  astonishing  one.  It 
must  have  been  really  appalling.  The  day 
was  a Friday,  too!  For  several  days  previous 
the  air  had  been  uncommonly  obscured,  so  that 
the  sun  and  moon  were  given  a reddish  hue. 
Early  on  this  Friday  morning,  clouds  began 
to  gather  in  a way  to  portend  rain,  and  at 
eleven  o’clock  the  darkness  had  become  so 
intense  as  to  excite  remark  and  prompt  spe- 
cial observation.  We  will  let  a writer  in  the 
“Country  Journal,”  of  May  20,  finish  the 
story  : — 

At  half-pafi  eleven,  in  a room  with  three  windows, 
twenty-four  panes  each,  all  opened  toward  the  fouth-eaft 
and  fouth,  large  print  could  not  be  read  by  perfons  of 
good  eyes.  About  twelve  o’clock,  the  windows  being 
ftill  open,  a candle  call  a fhade  fo  well  defined  on  the 


REVOLUTIONARY  TIMES. 


190 


wall,  as  that  profiles  were  taken  with  as  much  eafe  as 
they  could  have  been  in  the  night.  About  one  o’clock, 
a glimpfe  of  light,  which  had  continued  till  this  time  in 
the  eaft,  fhut  in,  and  the  darknefs  was  greater  than  it 
had  been  for  any  time  before.  Between  one  and  two 
o'clock,  the  wind  at  the  weft  frefhened  a little,  and  a 
glimpfe  of  light  appeared  in  that  quarter.  We  dined 
about  two,  the  windows  all  open,  and  two  candles 
burning  on  the  table.  In  this  time  of  the  greateft 
darknefs,  the  dunghill  fowls  went  to  their  rood;  ; cocks 
crowed  in  anfwer  to  each  other,  as  they  commonly  do 
in  the  night;  wood-cocks,  which  are  night  birds,  whif- 
tied  as  they  do  only  in  the  dark ; frogs  peeped ; in 
Ihort,  there  was  the  appearance  of  midnight  at  noon- 
day. About  three  o’clock  the  light  in  the  welt  in- 
creafed,  the  motion  of  the  clouds  more  thick,  their 
color  higher  and  more  braffy  than  at  any  time  before  ; 
there  appeared  to  be  quick  flafhes  or  corufcations,  not 
unlike  the  aurora  borealis.  Between  three  and  four 
o’clock  we  were  out  and  perceived  a ftrong,  footy 
fmell ; fome  of  the  company  were  confident  a chimney 
in  the  neighbourhood  muft  be  burning ; others  con- 
je<5tured  the  fmell  was  more  like  that  of  burned  leaves. 
About  half-paft  four,  our  company,  which  had  palfed 
an  unexpe&ed  night  very  cheerfully  together,  broke 
up.  I will  now  give  you  what  I noticed  afterwards.  I 
found  the  people  at  the  tavern  near  by  much  agitated. 
Among  other  things  which  gave  them  much  lurprife, 
they  mentioned  the  ftrange  appearance  and  fmell  of 
the  rain  water,  which  they  had  faved  in  tubs.  Upon 


ODDS  AND  ENDS . 


I9I 


examining  the  water,  I found  a flight  fcum  over  it, 
which,  rubbing  between  my  thumb  and  finger,  I found 
to  be  nothing  but  the  black  afhes  of  burnt  leaves.  . . . 
The  vaft  body  of  fmoke  from  the  woods,  which  had 
been  burning  for  many  days,  mixing  with  the  common 
exhalations  from  the  earth  and  water,  and  condenfed 
by  the  action  of  winds  from  oppofite  points,  may, 
perhaps,  be  fufficient  caufes  to  produce  the  furprifing 
darknefs.  The  wind  in  the  evening  paffed  round  fur- 
ther north,  where  a black  cloud  lay,  and  gave  us 
reafon  to  expert  a fudden  guft  from  that  quarter.  The 
wind  brought  that  body  of  fmoke  and  vapour  over  us,  in 
the  evening,  (at  Salem,  Maffachufetts,)  and  perhaps  it 
never  was  darker  fince  the  Children  of  Ifrael  left  the 
houfe  of  bondage.  This  grofs  darknefs  held  till  about 
one  o’clock,  although  the  moon  had  fulled  but  the  day 
before.  Between  one  and  two  the  wind  frefhened  up 
at  north-eaft,  and  drove  the  fmoke  and  clouds  away, 
which  had  given  diftrefs  to  thoufands,  and  alarmed 
the  brute  creation. 

And  now  let  us  in  imagination  transport 
ourselves  back  to  that  Fourth  of  July,  1776, 
which  is  the  supreme  point  of  the  period  we 
have  been  surveying,  and,  turning  the  eye 
forward  to  that  future  which  has  become  our 
past,  pick  out  one  by  one  some  successive 
events  of  a familiar  kind  which  have  con- 
tributed to  the  century’s  progress ; so  the 


192 


REVOLUTIONARY  TIMES . 


better  to  realize  the  remoteness  of  these 
Revolutionary  times. 

July  4th,  1776:  it  is  yet  eight  days  before 
Captain  Cook  is  to  set  sail  from  Plymouth, 
England,  on  that  voyage  of  exploration,  one 
achievement  of  which  is  to  be  the  discovery, 
two  years  later,  of  the  Sandwich  Islands.  A 
month  and  more  of  life  the  historian  Hume 
has  before  him.  Rousseau,  Linnaeus,  and 
Garrick  have  nearly  two  years  more ; Sir 
William  Blackstone,  nearly  four ; and  Samuel 
Johnson,  eight.  Napoleon  Bonaparte  is  a boy 
of  seven  : thirty-nine  years  of  varied  discipline, 
adventure,  and  achievement  await  him  before 
his  career  shall  terminate  at  Waterloo.  Walter 
Scott,  who  is  to  be  Napoleon’s  biographer, 
is  two  years  his  junior;  but  Irving,  who 
forty  years  later  is  to. visit  Scott  at  Abbots- 
ford, is  not  yet  born,  nor  will  he  be  these 
seven  years.  It  is  eighteen  years  yet  to 
the  birth  of  Bryant,  twenty-seven  to  that  of 
Emerson,  thirty-one  to  Longfellow’s,  thirty- 
three  to  Abraham  Lincoln’s. 

Only  by  slow  steps  are  new  States  of 
America  to  join  themselves  to  the  original 


ODDS  AND  ENDS . 


193 


thirteen.  Vermont,  the  first,  will  not  present 
herself  yet  for  fifteen  years  ; Kentucky,  only 
after  sixteen;  Tennessee,  in  twenty;  Ohio,  in 
twenty-six:  Louisiana,  in  thirty-six;  Indiana, 
in  forty ; Mississippi,  in  forty-one  ; Illinois,  in 
forty-two;  Alabama,  in  forty-three  ; Maine,  in 
forty-four;  Missouri,  in  forty- five ; Arkansas, 
in  sixty;  Michigan,  in  sixty -one;  Florida  and 
Texas,  sixty-seven;  Iowa,  seventy;  Wisconsin, 
seventy-two;  California,  seventy-four;  Minne- 
sota, eighty-two  ; Oregon,  eighty-three  ; Kan- 
sas, eighty-five;  West  Virginia,  eighty-seven; 
Nevada,  eighty-eight  ; Nebraska,  ninety-one. 

Equally  far  in  the  future  are  many  of  the 
colleges  which  by  1876  are  to  constitute  so 
conspicuous  a part  of  the  furnishing  of  the 
land.  It  is  seventeen  years  to  the  founding 
of  Williams ; twenty-two  to  that  of  Bowdoin  ; 
forty-five  to  that  of  Amherst ; forty-seven  to 
that  of  Trinity ; fifty-seven  to  that  of  Oberlin  ; 
sixty-five  to  that  of  the  University  of  Michi- 
gan ; ninety-two  to  that  of  Cornell  University. 

In  the  world  of  useful  arts,  the  steam-engine 
is  a new  invention,  and  has  not  yet  passed  out 
of  the  experimental  stage.  Steam  navigation, 


13 


194  REVOLUTIONARY  TIMES. 


to  the  popular  mind,  is  a chimera,  and  seven 
years  must  elapse  before  Fitch  will  first  move 
his  vessel  by  this  new  motive  power  on  the 
Delaware;  thirty-one,  before  Fulton  will  es- 
tablish “ The  Clermont  ” as  a regular  steam 
packet  between  New  York  and  Albany ; forty- 
three,  before  “The  Savannah  ” is  to  earn  the 
distinction  of  being  the  first  steamship  to 
cross  the  great  and  wide  sea.  George  Ste- 
phenson, who,  thirty-eight  years  hence,  is  to 
construct  in  England  his  first  locomotive 
engine,  is  not  yet  born  ; and  America  has  to 
wait  yet  half  a century  before  it  can  witness 
the  operation  of  its  first  railroad,  that  from 
the  granite  quarries  at  Quincy  to  tide-water. 
A longer  time  still  by  several  years  must  the 
people  continue  to  strike  their  flint  and  steel, 
before  lighting  their  fires  with  “ lucifer  ” 
matches. 

The  cotton-gin  is  seventeen  years  in  the 
future  ; illuminating  gas,  forty-six ; steel  pens, 
the  same  ; india  rubber  over-shoes,  fifty ; the 
daguerreotype,  sixty-four  ; the  telegraph,  sixty- 
eight  ; and  the  sewing-machine,  seventy. 

Gentlemen  will  wear  short  clothes  twenty 


ODDS  AND  ENDS . 


195 


years  longer,  before  putting  on  trousers  ; and 
eat  with  steel  forks  for  fifty,  before  exchang- 
ing them  for  forks  of  silver. 

Not  for  twenty  years  yet  is  Jenner  to  be- 
gin his  struggle  for  the  introduction  of  vacci- 
nation ; and  it  must  be  ten  years  more  before 
this  his  beneficent  theory  shall  have  won  its 
triumph  over  the  combined  forces  of  super- 
stition and  bigotry.  For  sixty  years  longer 
must  the  surgeon’s  patient  suffer  under  the 
operating-knife,  before  the  inhalation  of  ether 
can  be  resorted  to  for  the  deadening  of  his 
sensibilities.  It  will  be  thirty-six  years  before 
the  experimenting  American  will  succeed  in 
getting  anthracite  coal  to  burn,  sixty  before 
he  will  arm  himself  with  a revolver,  and  sixty- 
one  before  he  will  see  a steam-vessel  pro- 
pelled by  a screw.  Not  for  fifty  years  will 
an  “ iron-clad  ” afloat  demonstrate  the  possi- 
bility of  a revolution  in  naval  architecture  ; 
not  for  seventy-five  will  petroleum  freely 
supersede  sperm  oil  and  candles. 

For  forty  years  longer  the  American  printer 
is  to  work  with  a hand-press,  though  in  some- 
thing less  than  that  time  he  will  adopt  the 


1 9 6 RE  VOL  UTIONA  R Y TIMES . 


process  of  stereotyping ; but  it  will  be  seventy- 
five  years  before  he  will  make  the  improve- 
ment of  electrotyping,  and  eighty  or  more 
before  he  will  apply  the  new  method  to  the 
printing  of  newspapers.  After  the  lapse  of 
about  this  same  time,  he  will  amuse  himself 
with  machines  for  setting  up  and  distributing 
type,  and  just  a little  later  will  pause  with  in- 
terest before  a shop  window  to  see  a young 
lady  operate  a “ type-writer.’'  But  in  less 
than  fifty  years  he  will  have  received  from 
Europe  the  art  of  lithography. 

Nearly  ninety  years  must  pass  before  the 
travelling  American  can  take  his  seat  amid 
the  luxuries  of  a Pullman  car,  and  more  than 
ninety  before  he  can  enter  upon  his  comfort- 
able journey  in  it,  with  meals  by  day  and 
sleep  by  night,  across  the  continent ; while,  in 
the  street  cars  of  the  cities,  only  the  closing 
years  of  the  century  will  resound  to  the  mel- 
low ring  with  which  the  conductor  of  uncer- 
tain integrity  signifies  his  obedience  to  the 
direction  to 

“ Punch  in  the  presence  of  the  passenjare.” 

Finally,  to  the  best  of  this  present  writers 


ODDS  AND  ENDS. 


197 


knowledge  and  belief,  the  very  last  year  of  all 
the  busy  and  eventful  one  hundred  must  come 
before  an  inquiring  reader  can  find  in  any 
such  snug  compass  as  that  in  which  this 
little  book  has  attempted  to  present  it,  a bird’s- 
eye  view  of  the  things  that  were  at  the  be- 
ginning. 


APPENDIX. 


The  materials  of  this  book  have  been  derived 
mainly  from  the  following  sources  : — 

Bancroft’s  History  of  the  United  States. 

Lossing’s  Pictorial  Field  Book  of  the  Revolution. 
Moore’s  Diary  of  the  Revolution. 

Hudson’s  Journalism  in  the  United  States. 

Familiar  Letters  of  John  Adams  and  his  Wife. 

Drake’s  Old  Landmarks  of  Boston. 

Memoir  of  Josiah  Quincy,  Jr. 

Breed’s  Presbyterians  and  the  Revolution. 

Patterson’s  Historical  Sketch  of  the  Synod  of  Phila- 
delphia. 

Mrs.  Ellet’s  The  Women  of  the  American  Revolution. 
Timlow’s  Sketches  of  Southington,  Conn. 

Boston  Gazette,  1773-1775. 

New  England  Chronicle,  1775-1776. 

Continental  Journal,  1 777. 

Crosby’s  First  Half-Century  of  Dartmouth  College. 
Stevens’s  Address  on  Old  New  York  before  the  New 
York  Historical  Society. 

Duycki nek’s  Cyclopedia  of  American  Literature. 
Manuscripts  and  private  memorials. 


200 


REVOLUTIONARY  TIMES . 


Those  who  desire  to  go  further  in  this  explora- 
tion of  Revolutionary  times  will  find  important 
helps  among  the  works  grouped  below.  Any 
thing  like  completeness  in  such  a list  is  of  course 
out  of  the  question  here ; and  the  reader  should 
be  frankly  warned  that  many  of  the  books  named 
are  scarce,  and  some  excessively  rare;  while 
comparatively  few  are  to  be  found  in  public 
libraries.  The  titles  are  in  most  cases  abbreviated, 
and  the  names  of  authors  are  in  italics. 

Natural  and  - Civil  History  of  the  French  Dominions 
in  North  and  South  America.  London:  1760. 
Account  of  North  America.  London:  1775. 
Historical,  Geographical,  Commercial,  and  Philosophi- 
cal View  of  United  States.  Winterbotham . New 
York:  1796. 


Topographical  Description  of  the  Western  Territory 
of  North  America.  I?nlay . New  York:  1793. 
Present  Political  State  of  Massachusetts  Bay  and 
Town  of  Boston.  New  York:  1775. 

History  of  New  Hampshire  Churches.  Lawrence . 
Claremont:  1857. 

Thirty  Days  in  New  Jersey  Ninety  Years  Ago. 

(1776-77).  Haven.  Trenton:  1867. 

Papers  Relating  to  the  [Episcopal]  Church  in  Virginia. 

Perry . Privately  printed.  1870. 

Old  Churches,  Ministers,  and  Families  of  Virginia. 
Meade . Philadelphia:  1857. 


APPENDIX. 


201 


Carolina  in  the  Olden  Time.  By  the  author  of  “Our 
Forefathers.” 

Narrative  of  Col.  David  Fanning  of  Adventures  in 
North  Carolina,  from  1775  to  1783.  Richmond, 
Va.  : 1861. 

Revolutionary  History  of  North  Carolina.  Hawks , 

Swain , and  Graham.  Raleigh  : 1853. 

Memoirs  of  the  Revolution  as  relating  to  South  Caro- 
lina. Drayton.  Charleston,  S.C. : 1821. 

Memoirs  of  the  Early  Settlers  of  Ohio,  with  Incidents 
and  Occurrences  in  1775.  Hildreth.  Cincinnati: 
1852. 


History  of  Philadelphia.  Westcott . 

Annals  of  Philadelphia  and  Pennsylvania  in  the  Olden 
Time.  Watson . Philadelphia:  1845. 

History  of  Independence  Hall,  with  Biographies  of  the 
Signers,  Historical  Sketches,  etc.  Belisle.  Phil- 
adelphia : 1859. 

New  York  City  during  the  Revolution.  Privately 
printed.  New  York:  1851. 

Boston  in  the  Colonial  Times  (Sir  C.  H.  Frankland). 
Nason.  Albany : 1865. 

West  Cambridge  on  the  19th  of  April,  1775.  Smith . 
Boston:  1864. 

Richmond  in' By-gone  Days.  Richmond,  Va. : 1856. 
Letters  of  Eliza  Wilkinson  during  the  Invasion  and 
Possession  of  Charleston,  S.C.,  by  the  British. 
Gibnan.  New  York  : 1839. 


202 


REVOLUTIONARY  TIMES. 


Law’s  Colonial  History  of  Vincennes.  Vincennes  : 
1858. 

Annals  of  San  Francisco.  Soule  and  others . New 
York:  1855. 


New  Travels  in  the  United  States  in  1788.  J.  P.  De 
W.  Brissot.  London:  1794. 

Travels  through  the  Interior  Parts  of  North  America 
in  1766-68.  Carver.  London:  1778. 

Travels  in  the  Interior  inhabited  Parts  of  North 
America  in  1791-92.  Campbell.  Edinburgh  : 
1793- 

Travels  through  the  Middle  Settlements  in  North 
America  in  1759-60.  Burnaby.  London:  1775. 

Adventures  of  Capt.  Matthew  Phelps  in  Two  Voyages 
from  Connecticut  to  the  River  Mississippi,  1 773— 
1780.  HaswdL  Bennington : 1802. 

Travels  and  Adventures  in  Canada  and  the  Indian 
Territories  between  1760-76.  Henry . New 

York:  1809. 

Travels  through  the  United  States  in  1796,  ’97.  Rock - 
foucauld.  London:  1799. 

Tour  in  United  States  of  America.  S7nyth.  Lon- 
don : 1 784. 

Travel  through  the  States  of  North  America.  Weld. 
London  : 1799. 

Travels  in  North  America  in  1780-82.  Chastellux . 
London:  1787. 


APPENDIX. 


203 


Letters  from  an  American  Farmer  describing  certain 
Provincial  Situations,  Manners,  and  Customs.  St. 
John.  London:  1783. 

A Journal  of  Two  Visits  to  Indiana,  West  of  the  River 
Ohio,  in  1772-73.  Jones.  New  York:  1875. 
Military  Journal  during  the  American  Revolutionary 
War,  1775-83.  Thacher.  Boston:  1823. 
Memoirs  of  an  American  Lady.  Mrs . Grant.  Lon- 
don: 1809. 

Letters  from  America,  Historical  and  Descriptive. 
Eddis.  London:  1792. 

Letters  and  Memoirs.  Mad.  Riedesel.  New  York  : 
1827. 

Private  Journal  kept  during  a Portion  of  the  Revolu- 
tionary War.  Philadelphia:  1836. 


Baptists  and  the  American  Revolution.  Cathcart . 
Richmond:  1876. 

The  Pulpit  of  the  American  Revolution.  Thornton. 
Boston:  i860. 

Chaplains  and  Clergy  of  the  Revolution.  Headley. 
History  of  Music  in  New  England.  Hood.  Boston  : 
1846. 

History  of  Printing  in  America.  Thomas.  Worcester  : 
1810. 

Songs  and  Ballads  of  the  Revolution.  Moore . New 
York  : 1856. 

Domestic  History  of  the  American  Revolution.  Ellet. 


204 


REVOLUTIONARY  TIMES . 


Biographical  Sketches  of  Loyalists * Sabine . Boston  : 
1864. 

The  Youth  of  Jefferson  ; or,  A Chronicle  of  College 
Scraps  at  Williamsburg  in  Virginia,  1794.  New 
York:  1854. 

Sketch  of  John  S.  Copley.  Perkms.  Cambridge  : 1873. 
Life  and  Times  of  Washington.  Sehroeder . 


Old  New  England  Traits.  Lunt . Boston:  

Our  Forefathers : Their  Homes  and  Churches.  By 
the  author  of  “ Carolina  in  the  Olden  Time.” 
Charleston:  i860. 


Anecdotes  of  the  Revolutionary  War  in  America,  with 
Sketches  of  Character,  etc.,  etc.  Garden . Charles- 
ton, S.C. : 1822-28.  Brooklyn:  1865. 

Anecdotes  of  the  American  Revolution.  New  York: 
1844. 

Reminiscences  of  the  Revolution.  Albany  : 1833. 
Principles  and  Acts  of  the  Revolution  in  America* 
Niles.  Baltimore:  1822. 


Local  histories  in  great  number. 

Collections  of  the  several  Historical  Societies. 


American  Military  Pocket  Atlas  of  the  British  Col- 
onies. London:  1 776. 

The  American  Geography.  Morse . Boston:  1789. 


INDEX 


Adams,  Hannah,  123. 

Adams,  John,  22,  25,  60,  63,  93,  114, 
120,  165,  169,  174. 

Adams,  Samuel,  22,  114,  149,  175. 
Aitkin,  Robert,  12 1. 

Albany,  N.Y.,  27,  28,  51. 

Allen,  Ethan,  115. 

Amboy,  N.J.,  13. 

Amusements.  72-77. 

Annapolis,  Md.,  13,  14,  41. 
Apthorps,  The,  31. 

Architecture,  37,  82. 

Arnold,  Benedict,  178. 

Auchmuty,  Dr.,  149. 

Augusta,  Ga.,  14,  43. 

Balls,  76-78. 

Baltimore,  Md.,  14,  20,  41,  42,  52, 

82.. 

Baptists,  145,  146. 

Barlow,  Joel,  119. 

Bartram,  John,  16,  116. 

Bartram,  William,  116. 

Bath,  N.C..  47. 

“ Battle  of  the  Kegs,”  115. 
Bayards,  The,  31. 

Beaufort,  S.C.,  50. 

Belknap,  Dr.  Jeremy,  122. 
Bethlehem,  Pa.,  25,  46. 

Bland,  Richard,  122. 

Bland,  Theodoric,  122. 

Bleecker,  Mrs.  Ann  Eliza,  118. 
Book-store,  An  old,  128. 

Boone,  Daniel,  15. 

Boston,  Mass.,  13,  19,  28,  33-40,  51? 
52>  53,  54,  55,  62,  73,  80,  120,  136, 
150,  167. 

Boston  Gazette,  52,  72,  88,  129,  130. 
Brackenridge,  Hugh  Henry,  12 1. 


Burr,  Aaron,  178. 

Byles,  Mather,  150. 

Burgoyne’s  surrender,  Tidings  of, 
48. 


Cadwalader,  Gen.,  188. 

Caldwell,  Rev.  James,  149. 
Cambridge,  Mass.,  14,  41,  150,  164. 
Carpenters’  Hall,  Philadelphia,  21. 
Carroll,  Charles,  42,  176. 
Charleston,  S.C.,  13,  14,  20,  42,  45, 
48,  53,  55-  , 

Chase,  Samuel,  42,  176. 

Chauncy,  Dr.  Charles,  150. 
Children,  Habits  of,  85. 

Church,  Dr.  Benjamin,  122. 
Churches,  25,  29,  36,  37,  145-160. 
Cities,  The  five  prominent,  19. 
Civilians  of  eminence,  174-178. 
Clergy,  The,  147-152. 
Coffee-houses,  30,  31. 

Colleges,  25,  29,  41,  102-111,  148, 
150,  163. 

Colonies,  The  thirteen  original,  13. 
“Common  Sense,”  121,  143. 
Concert,  Programme  of  a,  72. 
Concord,  Mass.,  164. 
Congregationalists,  145. 

Congress,  22,  23,  109-m,  149,  175, 
176. 

Connecticut,  13,  16,  46,  147. 
Continental  Journal,  56,  181. 
Conway,  Gen.,  187. 

Cooper,  Rev.  Dr.  Samuel,  150. 
Copley,  John  S.,  42,  168,  169. 
Cornwallis,  20. 

Country  Journal,  189. 

Courtship  of  Matthew  Griswold,  86. 


20  6 


INDEX. 


“Dark  Day”  of  1780,  189-191. 
Declaration  of  Independence,  17, 
23,  42,  i75>  176,  188. 

De  Kalb,  174. 

De  Lanceys,  The,  31. 

Delaware,  13. 

Delaware  River,  51. 

Detroit,  12,  17. 

Dickinson,  John,  115,  176. 
Dorchester,  Mass.,  16. 

Dorchester,  S.C.,  16,  159. 

Draper,  Mrs.  Mary,  179. 

Draytons,  The,  185. 

Dress,  69-71. 

Duche,  Rev.  Jacob,  115,  149. 
Duelling,  187. 

Duffield,  Dr.,  149. 

Du  Simitiere,  117. 

Dutch  Reformed,  The,  145. 

Dutch,  The,  27,  46,  158 
Dwight,  Rev.  Timothy,  118,  119, 
130. 


Easton,  Pa.,  27. 

East  Windsor,  Conn.,  78. 

Edenton,  N.C.,  47. 

Emmons,  Rev.  Dr.,  87,  112,  115, 
120,  151. 

Engravers,  167. 

Episcopalians,  145,  146,  147,  149, 
157* 

Essex  Gazette,  94. 

Euphrates,  Pa.,  47. 

Evans,  Nathaniel,  122. 

Exeter,  N.H.,  13,  40. 


Fairfaxes,  The,  185,  186. 
Falmouth,  Me.,  14,  40,  53,  93,  185. 
Families  of  distinction,  31,  184-186. 
Farm,  A model,  161,  162. 

Farmer’s  life,  The,  162,  163. 
Farmington,  Conn.,  95. 

Florida,  16. 

Flucker,  Thomas,  176. 

“ Flying  machine,”  52. 

Fourth  of  July,  1776,  prospect  from, 
191-197.  . 

Franklin,  Benjamin,  94,  174. 
Franklin,  William,  54,  55. 

Freneau,  117,  118. 

Funeral  customs,  89. 


Future,  view  of  from  4th  of  July, 
1776,  191-197. 

Gadsden,  Christopher,  22,  177. 
Game’s  Mercury,  73. 

Gates,  Gen..  Horatio,  173. 

Geiger,  Emily,  183. 

Germamtown,  Pa.,  25,  46. 
Georgetown,  Md.,  41. 

Georgia,  13,  16,  49,  179. 

German  Reformed,  145. 

Germans,  The,  46. 

Godfrey,  Thomas,  123. 
Governments,  Forms  of,  18. 
Graydon,  Alexander,  118. 

Greene,  Gen.  Nathaniel,  173,  183. 
Greene,  Mrs.  Gen.,  179. 

Griswold,  Matthew,  Courtship  of, 

86. 

Gwinnett,  Button,  176,  187. 

Hamilton,  Alexander,  175. 
Hancock  House,  The  38-40. 
Hancock,  John,  87,  175. 

Hartford,  Conn.,  13,  14,  41,  46,  51. 
Henry,  Patrick,  22.,  177. 
Hopkinson,  Francis,  115,  121. 
House,  Interior  of,  83. 

Hudson  River,  82. 

Humphreys,  David,  119. 

Independence  Hall,  23. 

Indiana,  16. 

Indian  tribes,  12,  17. 

Industrial  interests,  161. 

Inventory  in  a New  Hampshire 
family,  98. 

Isles  of  Shoals,  14. 

Izards,  The,  185. 

Jay,  John,  22,  166. 

Jefferson,  Thomas,  114,  174. 
Johnston’s  Hall,  82. 

Johnstown,  N.Y.,  82. 

Jones,  Samuel,  166. 

Journalism,  132-143. 

Kinderhook,  N.Y.,  187. 

Kitchen,  Scene  in,  84. 

Knox,  Gen.  Henry,  173. 

Knox,  Mrs.  Gen.,  178. 

Kosciuszko,  174. 


INDEX ; 


207 


Lafayette,  76,  77,  174. 

Lake  George,  51. 

Lancaster,  Pa.,  26,  46,  47. 
Langdon,  Dr.,  150. 

Laurens,  Col.  John,  187. 

Lawyers,  165-167. 

Lee,  Gen.  Charles,  173,  187. 

Lee,  Richard  Henry,  176. 
Libraries,  127-129. 

Linn,  Rev.  William,  118. 
Littlefield,  Catherine  Mrs.  Gen. 
Greene),  179. 

Livingstons,  The,  31,  166,  175. 
Louisiana,  16. 

Lutherans,  27,  145. 

Mails,  54-57. 

Maine,  12,  14,  40,  53. 
Manufactures,  164. 

Marblehead,  Mass.,  40. 

Maryland,  13,  15,  16,  41,  47. 
Marriage  notices,  87,  88. 
Massachusetts,  12,  13,  15,  16,  53, 
147;  I78’ 

Meeting-houses,  153. 

Men  of  the  Revolution,  171-178. 
Methodists,  145,  146. 

“ M’Fingal,”  119. 

Minister,  call  and  settlement  of,  152. 
Mississippi  River  and  Valley,  12,  44. 
Mohawk  Valley,  The,  15,  51. 
Money  system,  100. 

Montgomery,  Gen.,  161,  173. 
Morality,  63. 

Morris,  Gouverneur,  118. 

Morris,  Robert,  176. 

Morrises,  The,  31. 

Morristown,  N.J.,  46,  157. 

Music  in  the  churches,  154. 

Newark,  N.J.,  27. 

Newborn,  N.C.,  13,  14,  48. 
Newburyport,  Mass.,  52. 
Newcastle,  Del.,  13,  14. 

New  England  Chronicle,  64,  130, 
164. 

New  England  life  and  traits,  60,  61, 
81,  146,  161,  179. 

New  Hampshire,  12,  13,  14,  15,  51. 
New  Haven,  Conn.,  13,  41,  46,  51, 
I5°.  [147. 

New  Jersey,  13,  14,  15,  16,  51,  82, 


New  Orleans,  44. 

Newport,  R.I.,  13,  41. 

Newspapers,  132-143. 

New  York,  City  of,  13,  27,  33,  51, 
52,  53,  54,  55,  62,  73,  80,  136,  188. 
New  York  Gazette,  87,  100. 

New  York,  State  of,  12,  13,  15,  82. 
Norfolk,  Va  , 14. 

North  Carolina,  13,  15,  16,  47,  61, 
82,  166. 

Officers  of  the  Revolution,  171- 
174. 

Ohio,  16. 

Otis,  James,  115. 

Paca,  William,  42. 

Paine,  Thomas,  12 1. 

Painters,  167-170. 

Peale,  Charles  W.,  168. 

Peale,  Rembrandt,  168. 
Pennsylvania,  13,  16,  21,  61,  147. 
Pennsylvania  Gazette,  55. 
Pennsylvania  Magazine,  12 1. 
Pennsylvania,  University  of,  25. 
Philadelphia,  Pa.,  13,  20-25,  26,  27, 
46,  51,  52,  55,  80,  94,  102,  1 17, 
121,  147,  166,  169,  1 77. 

Piercy,  Rev.  Mr.,  44. 

Pinckney,  Charles  Cotesworth,  177. 
Pittsburg,  Pa.,  12,  27. 

Plymouth,  Mass.,  14. 

Political  parties,  62. 

Population  in  1776,  59. 

Portsmouth,  N.  H.,  14,  40,  187. 
Post-office,  The,  57. 

Presbyterians,  16,  145,  146,  158. 
Prices,  95-100. 

Princeton,  N.J.,  29,  148. 

Products  of  the  several  States,  16. 
Providence,  R.I.,  13,  14,  41,  45,  51. 
Pulaski,  174. 

Putnam,  Gen.  Israel,  173. 

Quakers  in  Philadelphia,  21. 
Quincy,  Josiah,  Jr.,  53,  75. 

Rags,  Scarcity  of,  140,  141. 
Reading,  Penn.,  14,  46. 

Reamstown,  Pa.,  46. 

Revere,  Paul,  107. 

I Rhode  Island,  13,  15,  45,  147. 


208 


INDEX. 


Richmond,  Va.,  51. 

Rittenhouse.  David,  177. 

Roads,  51. 

Rodney,  Cassar,  176. 

Roman  Catholics,  17,  145,  146. 
Romans,  Bernard,  116. 

Rush,  Dr.  Benjamin,  102,  12 1. 
Rutledge,  Edward,  22,  176. 
Rutledge,  John,  22. 

S abba’ -Day  Houses.  156. 

San  Francisco,  Mission  of,  17. 
Salem,  Mass.,  40,  94. 

Savannah,  Ga.,  13,  14,  43. 

Schools,  Professional,  112. 

School,  A morning,  112. 

Schuyler,  Gen.  Philip,  173. 
Seabury,  Dr.,  149. 

Sectional  contrasts,  59-61. 

Sewall,  Jonathan  M.,  122. 
Sherman.  Roger,  175. 

Signers  of  the  Declaration,  42,  115. 
Slavery,  68. 

Small-pox,  186,  187. 

Smibert,  169. 

South  Carolina,  13,  14,  15,  16,  61, 
1595  1 85- 

Southern  traits,  61. 

Spanish,  The,  44. 

Springfield,  Mass.,  41,  51. 
Stage-coach,  52,  53. 

Stark,  Gen.  John,  173. 

States,  Governments  of,  18. 

States,  Products  of,  16. 

Steuben,  Baron,  174. 

Stiles,  Dr.,  115,  150. 

Stillman,  Dr.,  150. 

St.  Lawrence  River,  54. 

St.  Louis,  Mo.,  16. 

Stone,  Thomas,  42. 

Store-  Interior  of  a,  164. 

Stuart,  Gilbert,  169. 

Stuyvesants,  The,  31. 

Sumter,  Gen.,  183. 

Sullivan,  Gen.  John,  173. 

Taverns,  30. 

Theatre,  73,  76. 

Thomas,  Isaiah,  123. 


Thompson,  Charles,  116,  176. 
Thursday  Lecture  in  Boston,  157, 
Tories  and  Whigs,  62. 

Travel,  45-54. 

Trumbull,  John,  the  painter,  169. 
Trumbull,  John,  the  poet,  119. 
Trumbull,  Jonathan,  117,  177. 

United  States  Magazine,  12 1. 
Universalists,  147. 

Vaughan,  John,  23. 

Vermont,  12. 

Vincennes,  Ind.,  16. 

Virginia,  13,  14,  15,  16,  47,  51,  61, 
82,  159,  181,  186. 

Vredenburg,  Jacob,  79. 

Wages,  163. 

Waltham,  Va.,  51. 

Warren,  Mercy,  123,  178. 

Ward,  Gen.  Artemas,  173. 
Washington,  George,  22,  105-107, 
1 14,  124-127,  157,  159,  169,  172, 
i73,.  187. 

Washington,  The  mother  of,  180. 
Watertown,  Mass.,  41. 

Watson,  Elkanah,  45-50. 

Wattses,  The,  31. 

Wealth,  62. 

Weather  in  1772-80,  188. 

Webster,  Noah,  122. 

West,  Benjamin,  169. 

West,  Colonization  of  the,  16. 
Westchester,  N.Y.,  161. 

Wheatley,  Phillis.  123-127. 

Whigs  and  Tories,  62. 

Whitefield,  Rev.  George,  40,  43. 
Williamsburg,  Va.,  13  47. 
Wilmington,  N.C.,  48. 
Witherspoon,  Dr.,  115,  121,  148, 176. 
Wolcott,  Oliver,  175. 

Wolcott,  Ursula,  and  Matthew 
Griswold,  86. 

Women  of  the  Revolution,  178-183. 
Wyoming,  Valley  of,  15, 

York,  Me.,  165. 

Yorktown,  Pa.,  27. 


I 


